NEW DELHI: Heavy rains have caused devastating
flash floods
in northern Afghanistan, resulting in the loss of 315 lives and injuring over 1,600 people, according to authorities on Sunday. As villagers mourned their dead, aid agencies cautioned about the escalating destruction caused by the floods.
The
Taliban-run refugee ministry
reported extensive damage to thousands of homes and the loss of livestock.
Aid groups expressed concern about the impact on healthcare facilities and critical infrastructure, including water supply, with streets covered in mud. "We have no food, no drinking water, no shelter, no blankets, nothing at all, floods have destroyed everything," lamented Muhammad Yahqoob, who lost 13 family members, including children, in the Nahrin district of Baghlan province. He added that the survivors were grappling with the aftermath, with only two or three houses remaining out of 42 in the valley.
Din Mohammad Hanif, the Taliban's economy minister, appealed for support from the United Nations, humanitarian organizations, and private businesses to assist those affected by the floods. Arshad Malik, the Afghanistan director for Save the Children, emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, "Lives and livelihoods have been washed away." He estimated that 310,000 children resided in the hardest-hit districts and had lost everything.
The refugee ministry's latest death and injury toll, as reported on X, came from its Baghlan provincial office. The interior ministry had initially reported 153 deaths from Friday's floods but warned that the number could increase. Afghanistan, considered one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change by the United Nations, is susceptible to natural disasters. The situation has been exacerbated by a shortage of aid following the Taliban's takeover in 2021, as development aid, which formed the backbone of government finances, was reduced. The crisis has worsened in recent years as foreign governments grapple with competing global issues and growing criticism of the Taliban's restrictions on Afghan women.
(With inputs from agencies)
English (US) ·