UN Reports Severe Flooding Impacting Tens of Thousands in Afghanistan
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Kabul, April 10 (NationPress) - Recent severe flooding has wreaked havoc in Afghanistan, affecting tens of thousands over the last fortnight, as reported by Tolo news and confirmed by the United Nations. The heavy downpours and subsequent flooding, which occurred from March 26 to April 6, have inundated numerous provinces, damaging hundreds of villages. The disaster has impacted more than 73,000 individuals.
Approximately 9,000 residences have suffered damage, with over 15,500 acres of farmland destroyed, raising critical concerns regarding food security in the affected regions. Furthermore, the loss of more than 500 livestock has intensified the crisis for rural households reliant on agriculture and animal husbandry, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
On April 7, a tragic incident in Khost province resulted in the deaths of three women and injuries to two children when a wall collapsed due to heavy rain and flash flooding.
According to Mustaghfar Gurbaz, spokesperson for the local Governor, the disaster struck in Gingini village, located in the Maton area of Khost. The wall's collapse was attributed to weakened structural integrity caused by the recent downpours. The injured children have been transported to a nearby healthcare facility for treatment, as reported by Pajhwok Afghan News.
Meanwhile, local officials reported that at least 10 individuals lost their lives and six others were injured on April 7 due to roof collapses in Nangarhar province stemming from the intense rainfall. The regions hardest hit include Jalalabad, Sherzad, Khogyani, Haska Mina, and the Angoor Bagh neighborhood, as detailed by Afghanistan-based Ariana News.
As of Monday, officials indicated that at least 110 people have died and 160 others have been injured due to heavy rains, flash floods, landslides, lightning strikes, and building collapses throughout Afghanistan in the past 12 days. Authorities are also searching for seven missing persons, and forecasts of further rainfall have raised concerns about a possible increase in casualties, according to Khaama Press.
Authorities have reported that 958 homes were completely destroyed, while another 4,155 suffered partial damage, resulting in thousands of families urgently needing shelter and aid. Additionally, over 325 kilometers of roads have been compromised, and significant losses have been incurred across businesses, farmland, irrigation canals, and drinking water sources.