The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Flash floods and heavy rains have killed at least 10 people and injured 15 others across Afghanistan in the past 24 hours, the country’s disaster management authority said, as the overall impact of weeks of severe weather continues to grow.
The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority
(ANDMA) said nine people also remain missing following flood-related incidents
reported nationwide.
The latest casualties come as flooding and rains that began
March 26 have affected at least 20 provinces, causing widespread destruction to
homes, farmland and infrastructure.
More than 7,000 houses have been destroyed, including over
7,000 that were completely flattened, according to official figures.
Authorities also reported that about 18,650 jeribs of agricultural land have
been lost, dealing a severe blow to livelihoods in a country where much of the
population depends on farming.
Hundreds of kilometers of roads, along with numerous water
supply networks, have also been damaged or destroyed, further complicating
relief efforts.
In total, around 9,000 families have been affected, many
losing not only their homes but also their primary sources of income.
Residents in the hardest-hit areas have called for urgent
humanitarian assistance, saying they are without shelter and basic necessities.
Afghanistan remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters,
a risk exacerbated by climate change, poverty and fragile infrastructure. The
United Nations has identified the country as one of the most climate-vulnerable
in the world, with increasingly frequent extreme weather events leading to
significant casualties and damage.
