At least 75 people have died in drowning incidents across Afghanistan since the start of the current solar year in March, according to the Taliban’s National Disaster Management Authority.
The ANDMA spokesman, Mohammad Yousuf Hammad, said the victims included 27 men, seven women and 41 children. Three others were injured in drowning-related incidents during the same period.
Hammad urged residents to observe safety precautions, particularly during the warmer months and periods of rising river levels, and to avoid entering hazardous areas near waterways.
The figures come amid an increase in drowning incidents reported in several provinces in recent weeks, as seasonal rains, flooding and higher water levels have raised risks across the country.
The arrival of warmer weather has also drawn more people, particularly children and young adults, to rivers, reservoirs and other bodies of water for swimming and recreation, a trend that contributes to dozens of drowning deaths each year.
Several drowning incidents have been reported in the past week alone in Nangarhar, Panjshir and Khost provinces. In one of the latest cases, two young men drowned while swimming in a reservoir in Khost’s Tani district.
Afghanistan lacks adequate water rescue services in many areas, and officials and aid organizations have repeatedly cited limited public awareness of water safety risks as a factor behind the recurring fatalities.
Children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable, especially in rural areas where rivers, canals and reservoirs are often easily accessible and safety measures are limited.
