At least 23 people lost their lives and 44 others injured as heavy rain and flash floods hit western Afghanistan's Farah province on February 25, a local official reported on Tuesday, AmuTV reported on February 26, citing Taliban officials.
Many children and women are among the victims of the fash floods that hit the Pushtkoh district Tuesday afternoon.
In Pushtkoh district, three families were trapped, including men, women and children, who had travelled to Kojer village for an outing, the Taliban’s provincial disaster management chief was cited as saying.
“The victims include people of all ages and genders, and the death toll may rise further,” he said.
The Taliban’s police command in Farah also confirmed the casualties, stating that the flooding had caused widespread destruction in the affected area.
The latest disaster reportedly comes as Afghanistan continues to suffer from deadly floods triggered by heavy rainfall.
AmuTV notes that on the same day, February 25, at least 10 people, including children, were killed by flooding in the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar. In Helmand’s Sangin district, a house collapse killed two children, while in Kandahar’s Shorandam area, three girls drowned in sudden floods.
China’s Xinhua news agency reports that most parts of Afghanistan have been receiving rain and snowfall since Monday. Afghanistan's meteorological department has reportedly predicted snowfall and scattered rain along with flash floods in 32 out of the country's 34 provinces.
Afghanistan has seen a rise in extreme weather-related disasters.
AmuTV reports that in 2024, too, Afghanistan experienced severe flooding that resulted in significant loss of life and property. Figures reportedly show that in May, flash floods in the northern regions, particularly in Baghlan province, led to at least 315 deaths and over 1,600 injuries. The floods destroyed more than 2,000 homes and left hundreds missing.
According to UN figures, earlier in April, heavy rains and subsequent flooding across 23 provinces caused over 100 fatalities and injured 54 individuals. These events also led to the destruction of at least 2,134 houses and the loss of 10,789 livestock.
Additionally, in July, severe rainfall and flash floods in eastern and northeastern provinces resulted in 58 deaths and 380 injuries, with significant infrastructure damage reported.
