KABUL, Afghanistan — Officials in Afghanistan report that devastating weather conditions have now claimed at least 110 lives, with seven individuals still unaccounted for as forecasters predict more severe rainfall ahead.
The violent storms and torrential rains started approximately two weeks ago, impacting nearly all of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. According to the Disaster Management Authority, the most recent 24-hour period saw 11 additional fatalities and six new injuries. The seven missing persons are believed to have been swept away by rushing floodwaters in various locations.
During the two-week period, the combination of floods, mudslides, and lightning has resulted in 110 fatalities and left 160 people wounded, officials reported. The destruction includes 958 homes completely leveled and an additional 4,155 structures suffering significant damage.
On Monday, the Defense Ministry reported deploying helicopter rescue operations to extract two individuals who had become trapped by floodwaters in Herat province in the western region.
The disaster has wiped out more than 325 kilometers (200 miles) of roadways, while also damaging commercial properties, farmland, water channels, and drinking water sources, impacting 6,122 families according to authorities. Officials noted these numbers remain preliminary.
Weather officials have issued alerts for Tuesday covering nearly the entire nation, urging citizens to avoid rivers and flood-prone areas.
Afghanistan experienced similar deadly weather earlier this year when heavy snowfall and sudden floods killed dozens nationwide.
Transportation has been severely disrupted with two major highways remaining closed for multiple days due to landslides and flooding. Travelers are being forced to use lengthy alternate routes. The critical Kabul to Jalalabad highway, which connects the capital to Pakistan’s border and eastern Afghan provinces, has been impassable since Thursday. Additionally, the route from Jalalabad northeast to Kunar and Nuristan provinces has been blocked by rockslides since Sunday.
Afghanistan regularly experiences deadly flash flooding triggered by snow and heavy rainfall, often killing dozens or hundreds at once. Spring flooding in 2024 resulted in more than 300 deaths.
