Two 6.3 magnitude earthquakes shook the Muslim nation of Afghanistan on Sabbath morning, October 7, 2023. At least seven violent aftershocks followed, decimating villages and homes in the earthquake-prone northwest. According to local officials, the death toll has risen to at least 2,445 people, with thousands more injured.
But that wasn’t the end. Powerful tremors also struck Mexico and Papua New Guinea within hours of the Afghanistan quake.
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in Oaxaca, Mexico, at 5:00 AM GMT. The quake was felt most strongly in the capital of Oaxaca, but it did set off car alarms 227 miles away in Mexico City. So far, this quake has not claimed any victims.
Papua New Guinea then experienced a 6.7 magnitude earthquake at 8:30 AM GMT. Thankfully, no significant damage has been reported thus far.
These dramatic quakes happening so rapidly around the world are a keen reminder that our earth is waxing old—and that we will soon see our Savior coming in the clouds.
“The Situation Is Very Bad.”
The earthquake in Afghanistan struck about 25 miles north of Herat City, considered the country’s cultural capital, at 6:30 AM GMT. Over 1,300 homes and many villages were completely demolished. The quake struck in a region where many homes are made with mud bricks, which simply crumbled when the first shock hit.
“In the very first shake, all the houses collapsed,” said Herat resident Bashir Ahmad, whose family lives in one of the villages. Residents rushed into the streets to escape the falling structures. Those who did not were buried. The Zinda Jan district was hit especially hard. There, whole villages of hundreds of people were nearly wiped out, with only a few survivors remaining.
“The situation is very bad,” said Qudos Khatibi, 37, a resident of Herat City, who traveled to the Zinda Jan district to bring water, food, and other aid. “You could not tell the difference between a house and an alley.” The bodies of dozens of children could be seen amidst the piles of brick and sheet metal that had once been their school.
Food, water, and shelter have been slow to reach victims. Blocked roads and downed communication lines have delayed progress. Local hospitals are ill-equipped to handle a large influx of patients. The Taliban government is struggling to provide aid to those in need.
A Humanitarian Crisis
The earthquake in Afghanistan is one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit the struggling country in decades. Major floods, mudslides, and earthquakes have taken their toll in recent years. In June of 2022, a major earthquake struck the south, killing more than a thousand people.
Many Afghan people have suffered terribly since the collapse of the Western-backed government in 2021. The Taliban takeover caused millions of jobs to vanish practically overnight. Women who were working lost their jobs and were forced to remain at home with no way to help support their families. According to the United Nations’ World Food Program, the prices of basic goods have soared, leaving nearly half of the country’s 39 million facing severe hunger and about three million on the brink of starvation. Aid money has also begun to dry up as other crises have taken the world’s attention.
The Spiritual Need
As Bible-believing Christians, we should not be surprised to see natural disasters like earthquakes increasing in intensity and frequency. Jesus predicted, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:26–28, emphasis added).
Every brutal natural disaster and every erupting war are vivid reminders that time is wrapping up. This world is “growing old” (Isaiah 51:6).
Yet we cannot stop reading Jesus’ prophecy there. If we do, we will miss the vital conclusion: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
The gospel must go to all the world before Jesus returns. Afghanistan urgently needs our physical help, but it also needs our spiritual support. Less than a percent of its population is Christian. The people desperately need to hear the Good News.
What can you do to help share the gospel with Afghans? Here are three simple things that will make a huge difference:
1. Pray for the Afghan people in this time of crisis. Especially pray that God opens doors for the gospel to be shared effectively in their country.
2. Ask God to lead you to Afghan refugees who are living near you. Many have fled to the United States and other countries over the past few years. Most of them are starting over with nothing and are open to friendship. Simply caring for them opens many doors for sharing the gospel. Visit reachtheworldnextdoor.com for more information.
3. Learn how to share your faith with Muslims. Many are deeply religious and are following God to the best of their ability, yet they have much to learn about the truth. Watch Islam, Christianity, and Prophecy by Pastor Doug so you can share with your Islamic friends intelligently and kindly. And the book Seeking the Straight Way by R. Harnisch shares the gospel message with Muslims using the Bible and Koran.
Listen to Multiple Powerful Earthquakes Strike in a Day below