Heavy Rains and Roof Collapses in Nangarhar Leave 16 Dead or Injured

JALALABAD, Afghanistan – Heavy rains and a series of roof collapses in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province have left at least 16 people dead or injured, local officials said, as severe weather continues to batter vulnerable communities across the region.

The worst-affected areas include the provincial capital Jalalabad particularly the Angoor Bagh neighborhood as well as the districts of Sherzad, Khogyani, and Haska Mina. Most casualties have resulted from the collapse of poorly constructed residential buildings unable to withstand the downpours.

According to provincial authorities, five people were killed and two others injured when the roof of a house collapsed in Angoor Bagh. In Sherzad district, a separate incident claimed the lives of a woman and two children after another roof gave way.

Further casualties were reported in Khogyani district, where one person was killed and two others injured. In Haska Mina, the collapse of two homes left one child dead and two more people wounded. In total, at least eight people have been confirmed dead, with another eight injured, though officials warn the toll may rise as search and rescue efforts continue.

Provincial spokesperson Qari Ehsanullah Osmani said emergency response teams have been deployed across the affected areas, with both civil and military units working to assist victims and carry out rescue operations. “Our teams are removing debris and providing first aid to the injured,” Osmani said. “We urge residents in high-risk areas to take precautionary measures.”

Authorities have warned that continued heavy rainfall poses an ongoing risk to homes and infrastructure, particularly in rural and mountainous areas where buildings are often constructed from mud brick and lack reinforced roofing. Many of these structures are decades old and not built to withstand extreme weather.

Afghanistan has increasingly faced severe weather events in recent years, with heavy rains, flash floods, and landslides exacerbated by climate change, widespread deforestation, and fragile infrastructure. The country remains one of the most vulnerable to natural disasters, and limited disaster preparedness compounded by years of conflict and economic strain has left communities with little protection against increasingly erratic weather patterns.

Local aid organizations have called for emergency shelter materials and medical support for affected families, particularly as temperatures drop and further rainfall is forecast for the coming days.

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