Afghanistan: Flash Floods and Landslides - Apr 2014

As at 31 Mar 2014, 11 provinces (nine in northern Afghanistan) had received rainfall between 19 per cent and 55 per cent of their long-term average. Heavy rainfall resulting in flash floods on 24/25 Apr impacted 10 provinces of northern Afghanistan. Across the provinces flood waters destroyed homes, public infrastructure and roads as well as thousands of hectares of agricultural land. (OCHA, 28 Apr 2014)

As of 30 Apr, over 67,000 people had been affected and 150 deaths had been recorded. Jawzjan, Faryab and Sar-e-pul were the most affected provinces. With nearly 3,500 houses reported damaged and destroyed the caseload in need of shelter continued to grow. (OCHA, 30 Apr 2014)

On 2 May, a series of heavy rain-induced landslides struck in the Argo district of Badakhshan in northeastern Afghanistan, causing significant loss of life and widespread damage to homes and agriculture. Around 1,000 families were thought to have been affected, and officials declared that a maximum of about 500 people were killed. Some 300 houses were destroyed. New waves of flooding affected Baghlan and Samangan. (OCHA, 3 May 2014)

By 22 May, the number of people affected by floods stood at 125,000 people in 27 provinces in 123 districts. Jawzjan, Faryab, Sar-e-Pul, Baghlan and Balkh remained the five most affected provinces, accounting for over three quarters of all affected people. About 6,800 houses had been destroyed and almost 7,600 had been damaged. (OCHA, 22 May 2014).

By the end of the season, more than 14,000 families had been affected, and more than 6,500 had their homes destroyed. The extent of flooding in 2014 was 2-3 times higher than annual averages, with flood waters destroying several villages that were at least 100 years old. (OCHA, 31 Aug 2014)