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Afghanistan

Afghanistan Floods Flash Update (16 July 2024)

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• Acting PDMC officials stated that the death toll was likely to rise as rescue and assessment teams combed through affected areas in the province, where some 150 people were also receiving treatment for injuries suffered during the rainstorms and flooding.

• The PDMC, which is chaired by the provincial governor of the Eastern Region, said preliminary assessments indicate that the areas worst-hit in Nangarhar Province include Behsud, Surkh Lal Pur, Bati Kot and Mohamandara districts.

• Eight inter-agency humanitarian emergency teams, including six from UNHCR and partner WAW, have deployed in the affected areas in Nangarhar, Laghman and Kunar provinces. Additional teams have been mobilized and will deploy to the affected areas as soon as possible, according to PDMC officials and provincial UN inter-agency coordination teams.

• UN inter-agency teams in Jalalabad, the provincial capital of the Eastern Region, said it could take up to a week for proper assessments to be finalized.

• Acting officials from the DfA’s Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) are being rushed to the affected areas to help coordinate assistance and rescue efforts, according to acting PDMC officials in Jalalabad.

• In the Central Region of the country, Kabul, Kapisa and Panjshir Provinces were affected by the floods, with at least two districts affected in Kabul, two in Kapisa, and six in Panjshir. Initial damage reports indicate loss of agricultural land, homes, and roads. Further, two deaths and 10 injuries have been reported in Kapisa Province.

• As of 16 July, only the provincial Directorate of Refugees and Repatriation (DoRR), Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDAMA) and Health Departments are on site, with further information expected to be available from 17 July.

• Other provinces in the Central Region (Parwan, Maidan Wardak and Logar) have not reported flood incidents in the last 24 hours.

• Floods recorded in Eastern and Central regions of Afghanistan on 15 July, come on the heels of widespread flood events affecting Northern, Northeastern, and Western regions of the country in May and June. Areas affected in May and June have suffered largescale damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, health clinics, schools, and water sources and supply networks, as well as the damage and destruction to over 10,500 homes. Last night’s events in Eastern and Central regions have similarly caused loss of life, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure. The recurrence of flood events across Afghanistan are a stark reminder of the country’s susceptibility to natural disasters, compounding vulnerabilities faced by populations already facing entrenched poverty, pervasive unemployment, and critical gaps in essential services.