Second 6.3-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan

Oct. 11 (UPI) -- A new 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan on Tuesday just days after another deadly tremor struck the area over the weekend.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck just before dawn with the epicenter located more than 17 miles north of Herat, not far from the site of the previous quake.

"[The] earthquake near Herat, Afghanistan, occurred as the result of thrust faulting at shallow depths near the far western terminus of the Hindu Kush mountain range," the. "Earthquakes in Afghanistan and its surrounding regions are common due to the complex and active interactions between the Arabia, Eurasia, and India plates."

A 5.0-magnitude quake struck the same area after the initial tremblor while a 4.1-magnitude quake hit Chahar Burj to the southeast.

Local health officials said more than 100 people were injured in initial reports.

The 6.3-magnitude earthquake that hit an area north of Herat on Saturday left 1,200 people dead.

Officials said on Monday that 11,585 people, including 1,655 families, were affected by the first earthquake with "100% of homes estimated to have been completely destroyed" in 11 villages. Details were still emerging as to the damage left by the second earthquake.

Western Afghanistan lies near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates in the Hindu-Kush Mountain range, which has been the source of the country's earthquakes.

The USGS said that since 1920, eight other earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater have occurred within 155 miles of the Oct. 7 earthquake, all within Iran.

"These previous earthquakes included a magnitude 7.3 earthquake in May 1997 that caused 1,567 fatalities, and a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in November 1979."