The construction of houses and settlements for the victims of the Herat earthquake started on Tuesday in Sia Ab village of Zindajan district in Herat province.

The project was launched in the presence of a number of senior IEA officials including the head of information and culture, the mayor of Injil district, officials from urban planning and Herat municipality.

Maolavi Ahmadullah Muttaqi, head of information and culture in Herat, says that 2,146 houses will be built across 20 villages that were completely destroyed in the recent earthquakes.

Thousands of people have been affected by the deadly earthquakes and are living in tents. However, time is critical for these people as winter is fast approaching. Winters in the province are very cold, snowy, and windy.

The head of information and culture of Herat also stated that in order to protect the victims from rain and wind, strong tents have been distributed and the government hopes to rebuild houses before the winter sets in.

Maolavi Nematullah Rahimi, the mayor of Herat’s Injil district, says that engineers from the municipality, urban development and agriculture departments are building the houses, which will hopefully withstand further earthquakes.

According to official, 279 houses are in Sia Ab village, 300 houses in Naib Rafi village, 123 houses in Sarbaland village, 100 houses in Kashkak village, 30 houses in Qala-e-nok village, 60 houses in Kajkal village, 65 houses in Asyab Badak, 133 houses in Karnil Wardaka, 300 houses in Chahek, 36 houses in the two villages of Abdul Abad and Hazrat Abad, 52 houses in the two villages of Azqalak and Qasr Shirin, 30 houses in the village of Jagdah, 45 houses in Gezi Bala, 50 houses in the two villages of Gol Khan and Ghazi, 72 houses in the two villages of Sail Koh and Sang-e-Safid, 105 houses in Chazahi wa Bahadurzahi, 80 houses in Khawaja Mohammad Shurab, 92 houses in Cha Zahi wa Hilal Zahi, and 115 houses in Cha zahi wa Zuraiha.