At least 51 people have died and 89 more injured in widespread flooding across Afghanistan over the past eight days as relentless heavy rains continue to batter large swaths of the country, officials said Friday.
The National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) confirmed that flash floods, triggered by prolonged downpours and thunderstorms since March 26, have ravaged at least 18 provinces, including major population centers such as Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat.
In the past 24 hours alone, floods claimed three lives and injured 16 others, according to ANDMA spokesman Muhammad Yousaf Hamad.
The mounting death toll reflects the steady escalation of the crisis.
Earlier reports recorded 17 deaths and 26 injuries in a single 24-hour period around March 29.
By April 2, the cumulative toll had risen to 48 dead and 73 injured. Authorities caution that numbers may increase as assessment teams continue surveying remote districts cut off by the floods.
The destruction has been severe. In just the past day, hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged, and nearly 1,500 acres of farmland were washed away, directly affecting more than 800 families.
Since the floods began, at least 676 homes have been destroyed, hundreds of kilometers of roads damaged or rendered impassable, and close to 4,000 acres of agricultural land affected. More than 8,600 families nationwide have been impacted.
Afghanistan’s vulnerability to seasonal flooding is compounded by its fragile infrastructure and limited disaster response capacity.
Spring rains, combined with melting snow from the Hindu Kush mountains, regularly trigger flash floods and landslides.
This year, thunderstorms and lightning have worsened the impact, particularly in central and eastern provinces like Parwan, Maidan Wardak, Daykundi, and Logar, as well as southern and western regions including Kandahar and Herat.
Rural communities face the heaviest toll. Many rely on subsistence farming and livestock, and the loss of crops, farmland, and irrigation systems threatens both immediate food supplies and long-term food security.
Washed-out roads have hampered relief efforts, leaving some villages isolated and delaying emergency aid, shelter materials, and medical support.
ANDMA has coordinated search-and-rescue operations and the distribution of limited aid where possible.
Officials have warned that heavy rains could continue in the coming days, urging residents to avoid rivers, streams, and low-lying areas while staying tuned to official weather alerts.
