Heavy rain and snow leave more than 1 600 homes destroyed or damaged, Afghanistan

Heavy rains and snow affecting Afghanistan over the last 3 weeks destroyed or damaged more than 1 650 homes and claimed the lives of 60 people. The severe weather has also led to the loss of nearly 178 000 livestock.

Afghanistan has seen an unusually dry start of the winter this season but weather patterns are now changing, leading to widespread destruction and loss of life.

According to a statement from the government’s disaster ministry on March 13, 2024, heavy rains and snow claimed the lives of 60 people and injured 23 others since February 20.

Approximately 1 645 homes have been reported as destroyed or damaged, affecting numerous families across the country. The agricultural sector has also suffered, with close to 178 000 livestock casualties reported.

Particularly hard-hit is the western province of Herat, which has been subject to flash floods triggered by the heavy rainfall beginning on the evening of March 11. The provisional data suggests that about 250 houses have been destroyed in Herat alone, with vast areas of farmland also flooded. This region is still recovering from the impact of a trio of devastating earthquakes that struck in October, claiming nearly 1 500 lives and damaging or destroying around 30 000 homes.

References:

¹ At least 60 Afghans killed by weeks of intense snow, rain – AFP – March 13, 2024

Featured image credit: NASA Terra/MODIS, The Watchers. Acquired on March 14, 2024