Deliver urgent aid to flood-hit Afghans, world urged

KABUL (Pajhwok): Some global organisations have called on the international community to immediately provide aid to flood-affected people in Afghanistan.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the United Nations, and Save the Children issued calls after heavy floods swept through four provinces of Afghanistan.

The rain-triggered floods killed at least 85 people and wounded about 100 more in the four provinces in the past two days, the State Ministry for Natural Disaster Management said on Saturday.

Mohammad Janan Sayeeq, a spokesman for the ministry, said in a video clip that 85 people lost their lives and around 100 more were wounded in Takhar, Badakhshan, Ghor and Baghlan provinces.

But Baghlan Governor Mullah Alam Majeedi said late on Saturday night 130 people had been killed and around 100 more wounded in Borka and Baghlan-i-Markazi districts alone.

In a post on X, the World Food Programme wrote: “Breaking: Flash floods ravage #Afghanistan, killing more than 300 people in Baghlan and destroying more than 1000 houses.”

It has been one of many floods over the last few weeks, due to unusually heavy rainfall. WFP is now distributing fortified biscuits to the survivors.

Arshad Malik, country director for Save the Children, said: “‘Lives and livelihoods have been washed away. The flash floods tore through villages, sweeping away homes and killing livestock. Children have lost everything. Families who are still reeling from the economic impacts of three years of drought urgently need assistance.”

The floods are the latest in a series to hit the country in the last two months. Since the start of the year, nearly 13,000 people in Afghanistan [1] have been impacted by disasters caused by extreme weather, including floods and landslides.

Afghanistan is one of the most climate-impacted countries in the world – but one of the least prepared to cope with the climate crisis.

The international community must focus more aid on addressing the immediate and long-term impacts of the climate crisis in Afghanistan.

More funding is needed to prepare for disasters, to mitigate their impacts and increase resilience for communities.’

OIC launched a flash assistance appeal for Afghanistan’s flood victims.

Intense flash floods have hit hard the northern province of Baghlan and at least three other neighboring provinces, according to local reports.

The human toll is significant and is expected to continue rising. Heavy seasonal rainfall on Friday caused severe flooding, affecting hundreds of families and wreaking havoc on infrastructure, property and farmland.

The devastating flash floods hit Afghanistan just a few months after a string of deadly earthquakes that rocked several provinces of the country.

Increasing numbers of vulnerable families and children will desperately need urgent support in the coming days and weeks to survive and recover.

The OIC appealed, as a matter of urgency, to all member states and other countries across the world as well as relief organisations to promptly channel life-saving assistance to help Afghan people impacted by the ongoing floods.

sa/mud