KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Devastating floods triggered by heavy rainfall have affected more than 70,000 people across Afghanistan, destroying homes, damaging farmland, and disrupting access to basic services, the United Nations humanitarian office OCHA said.
In a video posted on X, OCHA Afghanistan reported that the flooding, which followed unusually heavy rainfall and snowfall in recent weeks, has impacted multiple provinces, with eastern regions among the hardest hit.
Humanitarian groups are scaling up emergency assistance, but OCHA warned that needs remain high and continued support is essential to prevent further deterioration in living conditions for affected families.
In Nangarhar province, at least 3,000 families have been affected, mostly in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, an OCHA field official said. Assistance has so far reached 250 families.
He added that humanitarian teams have launched joint needs assessments in Nangarhar, Laghman, and Kunar provinces, which are among the hardest hit areas in eastern Afghanistan. Findings are expected to be released after the assessment is completed.
Residents described widespread destruction, with floodwaters sweeping through homes, killing livestock, and destroying property and belongings. Many families have been displaced, while blocked roads have left others stranded in some districts.
According to the Taliban figure, at least 190 people have been killed and about 250 others injured in recent weeks due to weather-related incidents, including floods, landslides, storms, and house collapses. Thousands of homes have been fully or partially destroyed.
Humanitarian agencies warn that the combined impact of displacement, damaged infrastructure, and loss of livelihoods is likely to keep needs elevated in the coming weeks, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
Afghanistan remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters, including seasonal flooding, drought, and earthquakes, due to fragile infrastructure, environmental degradation and limited disaster response capacity.
The country is also facing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. According to UN estimates, nearly 22 million people require humanitarian assistance, while more than 17 million face acute food insecurity, with women and children among the most affected groups.
Aid agencies continue to call for sustained international funding to support emergency operations and prevent further deterioration in already vulnerable communities.
