At least 33 people have been killed in flash floods in Afghanistan. Another 27 people were injured in this incident. These casualties occur mainly when flash floods occur due to heavy rains.
Most of the casualties were reported to have been caused by roof collapses. Hundreds of houses have been destroyed and damaged mainly due to heavy rains. Al Jazeera reported this information in a report on Sunday (April 14).
According to reports, at least 33 people have been killed in three days of heavy rains and flash floods in Afghanistan, according to the disaster management department of the country’s government.
Janan Sayek, spokesperson of the department, said on Sunday, “Flash floods have occurred due to rains since last Friday, resulting in huge human and financial losses.”
He also said, “Preliminary information shows that unfortunately 33 people have died and 27 others have been injured in the flood.”
Spokesman Janan Sayek also said most of the casualties were caused by roof collapses, with around 600 houses damaged or destroyed. In addition, 200 cattle died, about 600 kilometers (370 mi) of roads were destroyed and about 800 hectares (1975 acres) of agricultural land was ‘flooded’.
According to Al Jazeera, 20 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces received heavy rainfall. However, last winter was unusually dry in these provinces. This resulted in dry land and farmers were forced to delay planting their crops.
West Farah, Herat, South Zabul and Kandahar, among other provinces, were worst hit by the recent rains and floods, Sayek said.
Authorities have warned that more rain is expected in most of Afghanistan’s provinces in the coming days.
Incidentally, since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, foreign aid to the impoverished country has fallen sharply. Apart from this, the supply and distribution of relief in the country has also been hampered due to various natural disasters that have struck at different times.
Earlier in February this year, at least 25 people were killed in a landslide in eastern Afghanistan after heavy snowfall. Then three weeks of rain that ended in March killed about 60 people.
The United Nations warned last year, “Afghanistan is facing major changes in extreme weather”.
Afghanistan is currently one of the least prepared countries to deal with climate change after being torn apart by four decades of war.
