Afghan officials warn deaths may exceed 300 as flash floods sweep multiple provinces, forcing mass displacement and prompting emergency UN aid efforts now on.
At least seven people have been confirmed dead after powerful flash floods tore through parts of Afghanistan, but officials and aid agencies warn the true death toll could be far higher, with some reports suggesting hundreds may have been killed.
The flooding followed intense rainfall that triggered sudden surges of water across several provinces, including Baghlan, Badakhshan, Ghor, and Farah. Entire villages were inundated within minutes, sweeping away homes, livestock, and farmland, according to local authorities and humanitarian workers on the ground.
While provincial officials initially confirmed seven fatalities, emergency responders and community leaders say many areas remain inaccessible, raising fears that the number of victims could exceed 300. Dozens of people have been reported injured, and thousands more have been displaced as families flee submerged homes and damaged infrastructure.
The United Nations said it has mobilized emergency assistance for affected communities, delivering food supplies, temporary shelter, and basic medical support. Aid agencies are also assessing urgent needs, including clean water, sanitation, and protection for vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
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“Flash floods of this scale are devastating, particularly in remote areas where early warning systems are limited and rescue access is extremely difficult,” a UN humanitarian official said, noting that damage assessments are still underway.
Afghanistan is among the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, despite contributing little to global greenhouse gas emissions. The country has experienced increasingly severe weather patterns in recent years, marked by cycles of extreme drought followed by intense rainfall that the dry, hardened soil cannot absorb.
These conditions make flash floods especially deadly, often striking with little notice and overwhelming communities already weakened by decades of conflict, economic hardship, and fragile infrastructure.
In Baghlan province, residents described walls of water rushing through valleys at night, giving families little time to escape. In mountainous regions such as Badakhshan and Ghor, landslides triggered by the floods have further complicated rescue efforts.
Afghan authorities said coordination is ongoing with international partners to expand relief operations as weather conditions improve. However, limited resources and damaged roads continue to slow access to some of the hardest-hit areas.
Humanitarian groups warn that without sustained support, the impact of the floods could deepen an already severe humanitarian crisis, as displaced families face shortages of food, shelter, and medical care in the weeks ahead.