HERAT, Afghanistan – The Herat earthquake that struck this vibrant province has left an indelible mark on the lives of its residents, with heart-wrenching tales emerging from the disaster’s aftermath. Among these stories, one stands out as a poignant and tragic reminder of the human cost of natural calamities.
In the early days of autumn in the year 1402 (Solar year), Javaher, a 33-year-old mother living in a tranquil village in the Zindajan district of Herat province, was blissfully unaware of the impending tragedy that would shatter her world. Her husband had traveled to Iran to secure their family’s livelihood, leaving her with their three children. The serenity of their rural life was abruptly disrupted on a fateful morning at 11:30 AM.
Javaher was preparing breakfast for her children when the catastrophic earthquake struck, reducing her home to rubble. Panic ensued, as she desperately tried to reach her children, but the chaotic destruction made it impossible. Trapped under the debris, she could hear the cries and screams of her beloved ones, including her five-year-old daughter, Zarmina. Despite her relentless efforts, she remained trapped, her hands and feet bound.
“When I was buried under the rubble, I could hear the cries and screams of my beloved ones, but I couldn’t free myself, and no one heard our cries,” Javaher recalled.
As time passed, the sound of her children’s cries grew fainter. Her heart-wrenching connection with Zarmina, her youngest child, was tragically severed. Javaher was eventually rescued and transported to a hospital, but her youngest child had been laid to rest in her absence, with the help of compassionate neighbors.
“I was so helpless that I couldn’t even touch my lifeless child for a longer time. I was a mother who couldn’t retrieve her child from beneath the rubble,” Javaher lamented.
Javaher and her two surviving children now reside in a tent amid the chilling aftermath of the earthquake. The remnants of their ruined home serve as a constant reminder of their devastating loss. With severe storms and cold weather to endure, Javaher gazes at the ruins of her home, where her daughter’s grave lies.
The once vibrant village of Zindajan now bears the scars of the past, with no trace of the laughter and playfulness of its girls. Every family in the village shares Javaher’s pain, as they have all lost their daughters. The village that was once their haven has become a place of grief and despair.
Despite promises from institutions and officials to rebuild their homes before winter, Javaher, in this village transformed into a graveyard, no longer wishes to live. Her poignant words reflect the deep anguish and despair that has befallen her and her community.
“This village took my home from me, then built ruins, and after that, my child, with whom I had only spent five years, was taken from me, and her father left for her a life without a mother.”
The memories of her five-year-old daughter, the devastation of her home, mental anguish, uncertainty, and profound mourning are evident in the tents of the earthquake victims. Javaher’s heartfelt wish resonates with the profound tragedy that has befallen her, “I wish our home were made of mud so I could endure, and today, I wouldn’t be sitting here separated from my child.”
The Herat earthquake has left a trail of heartbreak and sorrow, reminding us all of the resilience and strength of those who have endured unimaginable loss in its wake.
