May 20, 2024: Flash floods triggered by heavy seasonal rains have wreaked havoc across Afghanistan, claiming the lives of at least 84 people. The affected regions, particularly in the western province of Ghor, have suffered significant financial losses, with thousands of homes and properties damaged and hundreds of hectares of agricultural land destroyed.
The impact of the floods has been particularly severe in the northern province of Faryab, where 66 people lost their lives, with several others reported missing. Around 1,500 houses were either completely or partially destroyed, along with the loss of hundreds of hectares of farmland and over 300 animals.
In addition to the human toll, the floods have unleashed widespread destruction, with infrastructure, farmlands, and livestock bearing the brunt of the calamity. The dire situation has been compounded by the difficulties rescue and relief efforts face, as many affected areas remain inaccessible. Amid this crisis, the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations have issued warnings about the potential for an increase in casualties due to the ongoing floods and the challenges in delivering aid due to the inaccessibility of the affected regions.
The recent catastrophic floods come in the wake of earlier flooding that had already claimed hundreds of lives, leaving countless others injured and rendering thousands of people homeless. The affected communities, already grappling with the aftermath of earlier flooding, now face even more devastation, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive humanitarian assistance and long-term recovery efforts.
References:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4n1gg2p1ljo
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/flash-floods-kill-at-least-68-people-in-afghanistan
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/18/at-least-50-killed-in-heavy-rains-floods-in-afghanistans-ghor-province
https://apnews.com/article/afghanistanrain-flash-floods-death-toll-ghor-25a54bd187d29df8c8cbf6d63a7656c8