At least 48 people have been killed and 73 injured in Afghanistan since March 26, as heavy rains, flooding and lightning battered large parts of the country, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Taliban-run Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA).
In the past 24 hours alone, six people were killed and seven others injured across 20 provinces, including Kabul, Kapisa, Parwan, Panjshir, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Logar, Maidan Wardak, Zabul, Uruzgan, Ghor, Badghis, Sar-e Pol, Faryab, Samangan, Baghlan, Badakhshan, Kunar and Laghman, the ANDMA said.
The severe weather has caused widespread destruction. ANDMA reported that 139 homes were completely destroyed and about 300 more partially damaged in the past day, along with 13 shops affected. Flooding also damaged roughly 10 kilometers of roads and 65 acres of agricultural land.
More than 1,042 families were affected in the past 24 hours, with at least 212 displaced, according to the data.
Since the flooding began, more than 2,700 families have been affected nationwide. In addition to the casualties, 319 homes have been destroyed and 215 more partially damaged, the ANDMA said.
Afghanistan is prone to seasonal flooding, particularly in the spring, when heavy rains and snowmelt combine to overwhelm infrastructure and agricultural land. The latest wave of flooding has raised concerns about the vulnerability of rural communities, many of which rely on farming for their livelihoods.
