Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Baghlan floods severely impact over 310,000 children

Save the Children reports that approximately 600,000 people, including an estimated 310,000 children, have been severely affected by floods in five districts of Baghlan province.

The organization has deployed child protection teams and mobile health centers equipped with sanitary facilities to assist the children and families impacted by the floods.

Arshad Malik, country director for Save the Children in Afghanistan, stated, ‘Lives and livelihoods have been washed away. The flash floods tore through villages, sweeping away homes and killing livestock. Children have lost everything. Families, still reeling from the economic impacts of three years of drought, urgently need assistance.’

Afghanistan continues to face successive crises. The recent floods add to a series of disasters that have struck the country in the past two months. Since the beginning of the year, nearly 13,000 people in Afghanistan have been affected by disasters linked to extreme weather, including floods and landslides, according to the organization.

Afghanistan, one of the most climate-impacted countries globally, remains among the least prepared to handle the climate crisis. The international community needs to provide more focused aid to address both the immediate and long-term effects of the climate crisis in Afghanistan. Additional funding is crucial to prepare for disasters, mitigate their impacts, and enhance community resilience.

According to the latest figures from the Taliban-run disaster management authority, floods in the northern province of Baghlan have claimed the lives of over 300 people.