Afghanistan’s northern province of Baghlan has experienced devastating floods, resulting in the tragic loss of over 300 lives, according to the World Food Program (WFP). The heavy rains on Friday caused widespread destruction, flooding villages, agricultural lands, and the Mud River.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that Baghlan alone has seen over 200 fatalities and thousands of homes damaged or destroyed. The Baghlani Jadid district was particularly hard hit, with more than 100 deaths and 1,500 houses affected.
While initial government figures indicated 62 deaths, a spokesperson for the Taliban government has now confirmed hundreds of casualties in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
The floods have not been limited to Baghlan. The northeastern Badakhshan province, central Ghor province, and western Herat have also suffered significant damage. Emergency responders have been deployed to rescue those injured or trapped.
In addition to the human toll, the floods have caused substantial economic losses, particularly impacting agricultural land in a country where 80% of the population relies on farming.
The Afghan government has declared a state of emergency and is providing food, medicine, and first aid to those affected. The Air Force has also begun evacuating injured individuals to hospitals.
Social media has been flooded with videos showing the extent of the devastation, with bodies covered in cloth, flooded streets, and children crying amidst the wreckage.
This recent disaster follows a series of floods since mid-April, which have claimed approximately 100 lives across ten provinces in Afghanistan.
