| 24 July 2023
At least 31 people have been killed, dozens are missing, and scores have been injured in Afghanistan due to heavy flooding caused by seasonal rains. Simultaneously, 13 people lost their lives in neighboring Pakistan as a result of heavy rains and landslides. The devastating floods have compounded the already dire situation in both countries, exacerbating ongoing humanitarian crises.
In Afghanistan, the disaster ministry's appointed spokesman, Shafiullah Rahimi, confirmed the grim statistics on Sunday. Over the past three days, flash floods struck the capital Kabul, as well as the provinces of Maidan Wardak and Ghazni. West Kabul and Maidan Wardak suffered the majority of casualties, with at least 31 people killed, 74 injured, and 41 others reported missing. The floods also claimed the lives of approximately 250 livestock.
The latest flash flood struck the Jalrez district in the Maidan Wardak province, west of Kabul. Taliban government spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, revealed that 12 people tragically lost their lives while sleeping as rapidly rising floodwaters engulfed their homes. Rescue teams were engaged in search and rescue operations, with around 40 individuals still unaccounted for. As hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed, the situation remains dire for affected families.
Mujahid issued a heartfelt condolence message and called upon aid groups and the Kabul administration to provide assistance to the bereaved families. The provincial governor's office further revealed that hundreds of square miles of agricultural land were washed away, and the highway connecting Kabul and central Bamiyan province was closed due to the floods.
The situation in Afghanistan has been further aggravated by the country's ongoing struggles. In April, the United Nations' humanitarian affairs agency reported that Afghanistan faced its third consecutive year of drought, coupled with severe economic hardship and the enduring consequences of decades of conflict and natural disasters. The floods have added an additional layer of misery to the already suffering nation.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has also been grappling with heavy rainfall and landslides during the ongoing monsoon season. In the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, nine people lost their lives in rain-related incidents over the last 48 hours. Tragically, four family members were killed when their car was struck by a massive landslide in the Skardu area of Gilgit Baltistan. The disaster management authority reported damage to at least 74 houses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.
In response to the mounting crisis, the provincial authorities declared an emergency in the Chitral district, which experienced flash floods triggered by the rainfall in the mountainous region. Since the onset of the monsoon rains on June 25, Pakistan has already seen the loss of 101 lives, including 16 women and 42 children, according to the national disaster management authority.
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan are no strangers to natural disasters, with an average of 200,000 people in Afghanistan affected by such calamities each year. In 2022, a record number of floods during the monsoon season temporarily submerged a third of the country, resulting in approximately 1,700 fatalities.
As the affected communities mourn their losses and grapple with the devastating aftermath of the floods, aid organizations and governments must step up their efforts to provide relief and support. The international community should rally behind these nations to help them recover from the dual blows of nature's fury and ongoing hardships. Timely and concerted action can make a significant difference in alleviating the suffering of those affected and laying the groundwork for future resilience in the face of natural disasters.
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