This article provides a concise, data-driven update on the severe weather that swept across Afghanistan, delivering floods, landslides, and lightning.
It summarizes fatalities, injuries, and widespread damage across 34 provinces, along with the emergency response and the warnings issued by authorities as more rain is expected.
The piece situates these events within Afghanistan’s ongoing vulnerability to spring flash floods and the strain on transport networks and livelihoods.
Overview of the disaster
Since roughly 12 days ago, storms and heavy rainfall have unleashed a broad spectrum of natural hazards across the country.
National authorities report a rising death toll, with confirmed fatalities at least 110, seven people reported missing, and 160 injured.
In the last 24 hours, 11 people died and six were injured.
This underscores the continuing risk as weather patterns persist.
Key figures and impacts include damage to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods, affecting tens of thousands of people.
The disaster has completely destroyed 958 homes and partially damaged another 4,155, impacting 6,122 families.
In terms of infrastructure, more than 325 kilometers (about 200 miles) of roads have been damaged.
This has knock-on effects for markets, healthcare access, and humanitarian relief.
Beyond housing and roads, businesses, agricultural land, irrigation canals, and fresh-water wells have also suffered harm.
The rapid pace of unfolding events has prompted authorities to caution that figures remain preliminary as search and rescue efforts continue across affected provinces.
- Deaths: at least 110; missing: 7; injured: 160
- Homes destroyed: 958; partially damaged: 4,155
- Families affected: 6,122
- Roads damaged: >325 km
- Airlifted to safety: 2 people (Herat province)
Impact on people, homes and livelihoods
The human impact of these floods and landslides is profound.
With thousands displaced and many households losing shelter and assets, the ripple effects extend to food security, access to clean water, and enrollment in schools.
Agricultural land and irrigation systems are not only damaged in the short term but risk longer-term food supply disruptions.
This is significant given Afghanistan’s reliance on rain-fed farming in many regions.
Infrastructure and transport disruptions
Transport networks have borne a heavy burden.
The Kabul–Jalalabad highway, a crucial link between the capital and the Pakistani border, has been closed since last Thursday due to ongoing flood risks and security concerns.
Another key route, the Jalalabad–Kunar–Nuristan corridor, has been blocked by falling rocks.
This has limited relief convoys and hindered emergency response operations.
In the face of these closures, authorities have prioritized airlift capacity for those most at risk.
Response, warnings, and outlook
Authorities are actively coordinating disaster response and outreach across provinces, with the Disaster Management Authority leading coordination efforts.
The Defense Ministry reports two people were airlifted to safety after becoming stranded by floodwaters in Herat province.
This illustrates the use of air mobility to reach vulnerable communities when roads are impassable.
Officials warn that nearly the entire country should expect more heavy rain.
They urge communities to avoid rivers and flood-prone zones.
Temporary advisories emphasize personal safety, especially for residents in low-lying areas, near streams, or along interrupted road corridors.
The situation remains dynamic as weather systems shift, and search and rescue operations continue to refine casualty and damage assessments.
Context: Afghanistan’s vulnerability to flash floods
Afghanistan is no stranger to lethal spring flash floods.
The country’s climate pattern, combined with terrain and infrastructure gaps, makes communities susceptible to rapid flood events triggered by intense rainfall and landslides.
In 2024 alone, more than 300 people died in similar events.
This underscores a recurring risk that has shaped emergency preparedness and relief strategies across provincial governments and international partners.
What this means for affected communities
In the near term, residents should anticipate continued weather-related hazards. They should rely on official guidance for evacuation orders and shelter options.
For policymakers and aid organizations, the focus remains on rapid needs assessments and shelter provision. Restoration of essential services such as water, sanitation, and healthcare is also a priority, along with resilience planning to mitigate future flood impacts in vulnerable regions.
Here is the source article for this story: Death toll from extreme weather in Afghanistan increases to 110