KABUL, 16 July 2024 – Floods from heavy rains and storms have killed about 40 people[1] in eastern Afghanistan and about 1,500 children have lost their homes in the latest climate disaster to hit the country suffering its worst humanitarian crisis in decades, Save the Children said.

About 1.36 million people - of which an estimated 858,000 are children - live in the districts in Nangarhar, Kunar, and Laghman provinces that have been impacted by the storms that come just two months after heavy rainfall in the northeast killed about 350 people.[2]

The latest floods have injured at least 350 people and caused extensive damage to about 400 houses as well as an infections and communicable diseases hospital in Jalalabad city - according to the de facto authorities – although these numbers are likely to change, with wide variations in the reporting as rescue operations continue.

The storms have also caused damaged to a reception centre in Torkham set up for returnees, impacting Save the Children’s health service and child friendly spaces. More than 649,000 Afghans have returned from Pakistan since September 2023 after Pakistan said all undocumented foreigners must leave the country voluntarily or face deportation. Nearly half of all returnees are children.[3]

Infrastructure damage has been reported to telecommunications networks and several roads have also been cut off, making it difficult to access affected communities.

Afghanistan continues to face a multitude of crises, from returnees, economic instability, food insecurity, earthquakes, climate change, and consecutive cuts in international assistance. The deadly combination of climate change and poverty impacts Afghanistan’s most vulnerable, children.

Arshad Malik, Country Director for Save the Children in Afghanistan, said:

“Afghanistan’s children have endured decades of suffering and now extreme flooding has battered the country again and again, bringing with it fresh devastation, destruction and death.

“These extremely heavy rains and floods are further evidence of our rapidly changing climate, outpacing families' ability to adapt. They are especially harming those least responsible for the damage – children.

“Afghanistan is already struggling to meet existing needs due to dwindling international funding. With more support from the international community, we can together address the immediate and long term impacts of the climate crisis in Afghanistan and help communities to prepare for the impacts of extreme weather events.”

Save the Children is responding to urgent needs through existing health and emergency response programming. Teams have also been deployed to the affected areas to determine the extent of damage and immediate needs.

Save the Children has been supporting communities and protecting children's rights across Afghanistan since 1976, including during periods of conflict and natural disasters. We have programmes in nine provinces and work with partners in an additional seven provinces.

ENDS

[1] Department of Public Health, Afghanistan, July 2024.

[2]  https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/109711

[3]UNOCHA report 22 May, 2024 - https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/afghanistan/afghanistan-floods-flash-update-3-floods-hit-northeastern-region-afghanistan-22-may-2024

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