Attachments
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis
Between April and mid-May 2024, Afghanistan was struck by heavy and sustained rainfall that triggered destructive flash floods in 33 of the country’s 34 provinces. The floods had a devastating human toll, directly affecting more than 280,000 people and placing close to one million at risk. At least 300 lives were lost, and more than 40,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Agricultural production was severely disrupted, with over 180,000 hectares of farmland inundated, while the death of thousands of livestock further eroded livelihoods already under strain.
While the waters receded within weeks, the humanitarian consequences persisted far longer. By early 2025, thousands of families were still living in temporary shelters or with host communities, struggling to rebuild their homes and restore lost livelihoods. Recovery has been uneven: communities in remote and conflict-affected areas remain particularly vulnerable, with limited access to reconstruction support. The destruction of farmland and orchards has meant reduced harvests, aggravating food insecurity and forcing some households to resort to negative coping strategies. Public health concerns also remain, with recurrent outbreaks of waterborne illnesses reported in flood-affected districts, alongside rising psychosocial distress among survivors.
The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), with the support of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and partners, mounted a large-scale response at the onset of the disaster. Volunteers carried out search and rescue operations, provided first aid and psychosocial support, and distributed dignity kits, cash assistance, food, and health services. Shelter support was prioritized for displaced families, with emergency tents and household items pre-positioned by the IFRC Secretariat and partner National Societies deployed rapidly to the hardest-hit provinces.
The IFRC allocated CHF 750,000 from the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) to enable ARCS to scale up its life-saving response and subsequently launched an Emergency Appeal targeting 20,000 households across 14 severely affected provinces. Over the course of the operation, ARCS, supported by the Movement, provided multisectoral assistance, including cash and voucher support, essential household items, health care and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions.
By March 2025, one year after the floods, the operation had concluded with notable achievements but also highlighted the scale of ongoing needs. Recovery remains a long-term challenge in Afghanistan, where recurrent disasters, fragile livelihoods, and limited coping mechanisms mean that families affected by the 2024 floods are still grappling with the aftershocks. Strengthening community resilience, restoring livelihoods, and ensuring access to safe housing and basic services will remain priorities for the ARCS and its partners in the years ahead.