Floods and Heavy Rains Kill 179 in Afghanistan, 22 Dead in Past 24 Hours

KABUL – Severe flooding and relentless heavy rains have now killed at least 179 people across Afghanistan, with 22 of those deaths reported in just the last 24 hours, authorities said.

Afghanistan’s disaster management authorities confirmed that since late March, the extreme weather has also left 236 people injured. The latest figures including 22 new fatalities overnight underscore the rapidly escalating human toll as flash floods sweep through provinces already grappling with poverty and poor infrastructure.

Officials report that dozens of homes have been destroyed or damaged in recent days: 48 houses have been completely leveled, and another 134 have been partially damaged. Beyond residential areas, the floods have swamped and ruined vast stretches of farmland, deepening hardship for vulnerable rural communities that depend on agriculture for survival.

Since the start of the crisis, more than 1,200 homes have been destroyed and over 5,700 others damaged, according to disaster management data. Nearly 9,000 families have been directly affected. Authorities also list nine people as missing, raising fears that the death toll will climb further as search and rescue efforts continue in isolated areas.

The flooding has caused widespread damage to critical infrastructure, including over 370 kilometers (roughly 230 miles) of roads, severely disrupting travel and aid delivery. In addition, more than 18,000 acres of farmland have been devastated, delivering a heavy blow to already fragile local economies and food supplies.

Afghanistan has experienced unusually intense rainfall and even unseasonal snowfall in recent weeks, with some mountainous areas reporting up to 50 centimeters (nearly 20 inches) of snow. The rapid melting of snow, combined with saturated ground, has triggered flash floods that catch many communities off guard.

Flooding remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in Afghanistan, killing hundreds of people each year. The recurring tragedy exposes the country’s weak infrastructure, limited early warning systems, and severely constrained disaster response capacity challenges that have been exacerbated by years of conflict and economic strain.

With extreme weather forecast to continue and damage mounting by the hour, the crisis underscores an urgent need for stronger disaster preparedness, better drainage and retention infrastructure, and increased international humanitarian assistance to prevent further loss of life and livelihood.

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