Afghanistan: 148 Killed, 216 Injured in Weather Disasters Over Last Two Weeks

KABUL:
At least 148 people have been killed and 216 others injured in Afghanistan in the past two weeks following heavy rains, flash floods, landslides, earthquakes and lightening that has struck several parts of the country, local media reported on Friday citing updates released by the Afghan disaster authorities.

Nangarhar province in Eastern Afghanistan was among the worst-hit areas of Afghanistan in the latest wave of extreme weather conditions, Afghanistan’s leading news agency Khaama Press reported.

According to the authorities, 24 people were killed and 33 others injured in Nangarhar in the past two days, with many deaths related to collapsing roofs, floodwaters and storm-related damage. At least 1,149 homes were destroyed while roads, farmland and local infrastructure suffered extensive damage, as per the reports.

Over 7,500 families have been impacted, showcasing how seasonal storms cause humanitarian emergency in rural and poorly protected areas. Key roads have been damaged, disrupting connectivity between Kabul and several provinces of Afghanistan. Stranded residents were airlifted from some areas as floods waters swept through villages and urban neighbourhoods.

The weather authorities have warned that more extreme weather conditions could lie ahead, sparking fears that casualties and destruction could further increase in the coming days, Khaama Press reported. In recent years, Afghanistan has faced repeated climate and disasters, including floods, earthquakes and droughts, which have impacted fragile communities of the country.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has said that severe seasonal flooding has caused extensive damage across Afghanistan over the past two weeks, Afghanistan-based Tolo news reported on Friday.

According to the report, the heavy rains and resulting floods from March 26 to April 6 hit communities in several provinces of Afghanistan, inundating hundreds of villages, Xinhua News Agency reported. More than 73,000 people have been impacted by the disaster.

More than 9,000 homes have been damaged and over 15,500 acres of agricultural land has been destroyed in Afghanistan, sparking concerns about food security in the impacted regions.