Over 700 families affected as flash floods hit Afghan provinces

Kabul [Afghanistan], October 6 (ANI): The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has reported that at least 721 families have been impacted by the recent heavy rainfall and flash floods in the Afghan provinces of Kabul, Laghman, and Kapisa, Tolo News reported.
According to NDMA spokesperson Mohammad Younus Hamad, several residential houses have been completely or partially destroyed, while over 1,000 acres of agricultural land have been washed away. Fruit farmers have also suffered major losses due to the floods, Tolo News said.
Hamad stated that the floods have caused widespread damage to infrastructure and livestock. He added that several kilometres of roads have been damaged and around 3,000 chickens were killed at a poultry farm, further compounding the losses for local communities already struggling with repeated weather-related disasters.
He said, "In the past 42 hours, in Kabul, Kapisa, and Laghman provinces, heavy rainfall, hailstorms, and flash floods have destroyed 18 houses either fully or partially, as well as five kilometres of road and 2,400 acres of farmland. In total, 721 families in these provinces have been affected."
Meanwhile, residents from the affected regions have appealed for immediate assistance after their crops and farmlands were destroyed by the floods. The damage has particularly affected fruit farmers whose harvests form a vital part of their livelihoods.
Shah Lala, a resident of Kapisa, said, "A very strong flood hit this province, destroying all our harvests, including pomegranates and our orchards."
Ezatullah, a farmer from Kabul, said, "Heavy hail destroyed all our pomegranate crops."
Naveed Kakar, a resident of Laghman, added, "Our pomegranate orchards were destroyed due to hail and flash floods, and our main road was also washed away."
The Afghanistan Meteorological Department has issued warnings for 17 provinces across the country, cautioning residents about possible heavy rainfall, strong winds, lightning, and additional floods in the coming days, Tolo News reported.
The latest warning comes amid growing concern over the frequency of extreme weather events that have repeatedly hit Afghan provinces in recent months.
Similar weather events earlier this year had also caused severe damage. In June, rainfall and flooding in Afghanistan's Maidan Wardak and Logar provinces claimed the lives of four people, including three children, and injured four others, Tolo News reported, underscoring the country's continued vulnerability to recurring floods and extreme weather. (ANI)