Deadly floods and hailstorms claim 39 lives across Afghanistan

The death toll from recent severe weather in Afghanistan has risen to 39, according to disaster management officials on February 26.

The fatalities occurred across three provinces, with flash floods, hailstorms, and lightning strikes wreaking havoc in the region, Caliber.Az reports via Afghan media.

On February 25, western Farah province was particularly hard-hit by flash floods that swept away 21 people. In addition, three others were killed when their house collapsed during a hailstorm.

Moving further east, the situation remained dire. In Helmand province, six people lost their lives, including a child struck by lightning. Meanwhile, nine people were reported dead in Kandahar province due to the extreme weather.

Since 2018, several Afghan provinces, including flood-stricken Farah, have been battling long-term drought. However, the heavy rainfall and snow in recent days have somewhat alleviated the drought conditions.

“It’s constantly raining and snowing in most of the provinces, which has reduced the drought,” said Abdullah Jan Sayeq, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority. The weather, though providing relief from drought, has led to devastating floods, claiming many lives in the process.

In 2024, too, Afghanistan experienced severe flooding that resulted in significant loss of life and property. Figures 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.

 By Tamilla Hasanova