Afghan authorities say 14 more people die as a result of extreme weather and flooding

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Extensive flooding in many parts of Afghanistan has killed a further 14 people in the past 24 hours, authorities said Tuesday, bringing the total number of deaths over the past five days to 42 with more heavy rain forecast.

The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority said another 66 people in total have been injured over the last five days, as thunderstorms and heavy rain that has affected nearly every province in Afghanistan triggered floods, landslides and lightning strikes. The agency said further heavy rain was forecast across the country over the next three days.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan said on X that their own preliminary field reports showed 19 people had died and more than 900 families had been affected by floods. It said assessments were still ongoing and the figures could change.

In January, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country.

Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with snow and heavy rain that trigger flash floods, often killing dozens, or even hundreds, of people at a time. In 2024, more than 300 people died in springtime flash floods.

Decades of conflict, coupled with poor infrastructure, a struggling economy, deforestation and the intensifying effects of climate change have amplified the impact of such disasters, particularly in remote areas where many homes are built of mud and offer limited protection against sudden deluges or heavy snowfall.

Over the last 24 hours, 476 homes were partially or completely destroyed by the extreme weather, the national disaster agency said Tuesday, while businesses, agricultural land and irrigation canals were also damaged, affecting 603 families.