Severe weather claims 141 lives in Pakistan and Afghanistan amid unprecedented rainfall

Recent extreme weather conditions have led to significant casualties and destruction in Pakistan and Afghanistan, with a combined death toll of 141 as of April 18, 2024. Torrential rains and flash floods have devastated large areas, resulting in extensive damage to infrastructure and agriculture.

In Afghanistan, from April 13 to April 17, at least 70 people lost their lives amid devastating flash floods triggered by spring downpours across most provinces. The heavy rains followed an unusually dry winter that left the earth parched and more susceptible to flooding.

Disaster management spokesman Janan Sayeq reported that 56 people were injured and over 2 600 houses across 20 provinces were damaged. Additionally, the agricultural reported more than 2 000 livestock lost and 38 445 ha (95 000 acres) of farmland destroyed.

In neighboring Pakistan, officials reported 71 fatalities and 67 people injured. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province was particularly hard-hit, recording 32 deaths and 41 injuries. More than 2 600 homes in the province suffered damage.

Zaheer Ahmed Babar, a senior official at the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), noted that Baluchistan has experienced rainfall this month at 353% above normal. Across Pakistan, the overall rainfall this April has been 99% higher than the historical average, making it the wettest April in three decades.

Currently, the weather across much of Pakistan remains unstable.

On Thursday, April 18, PMD said rain-windstorm/thunderstorm with few heavy falls/hailstorms was expected in most parts of the country today. The same is expected in most of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Punjab and Islamabad on April 18. However, the weather was expected to remain dry in most parts of Sindh.

The agency warns that heavy rainfall may generate flash flooding in local nullahs/streams of Dir, Swat, Chitral, Kohistan, Manshera, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and tributaries of Kabul River through April 19 and highlighted a possibility of landslides in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

In addition, strong winds and hailstorms could damage standing crops and loose structures like electric poles, vehicles, solar panels, etc. in the days ahead.

References:

¹ Karachi sees light rain as Pakistan braces for more showers – Dawn – April 18, 2024

² Pakistan and Afghanistan flood update – DG ECHO – April 18, 2024

Featured image credit: NOAA-20/VIIRS, The Watchers. Acquired on April 14, 2024