Floods, landslides triggered by heavy rain in Afghanistan leave 77 dead in 10 days, authorities say

Heavy rain and storms in Afghanistan have caused widespread flooding and landslides over the past 10 days, resulting in 77 deaths and 137 injuries, according to the country's Disaster Management Authority. The extreme weather has also destroyed hundreds of homes and damaged roads, agricultural land, and infrastructure, affecting over 5,800 families. Several highways, including key routes connecting Kabul to other provinces and the Pakistani border, have been damaged or closed, disrupting travel. More rain is expected, and authorities are warning people to stay away from flood-prone areas. Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, and dozens of people have died this year due to similar incidents.

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Afghanistan on Friday night, killing 12 people and injuring four. The quake, which occurred at a depth of 186km, had its epicenter in Badakhshan province. According to a government official, five houses were destroyed and 33 were partially damaged across several provinces, including Kabul, Panjshir, and Logar. Among the deceased were eight members of the same family on the outskirts of Kabul who had recently returned from Iran as refugees. The earthquake affected a total of 40 families.

An earthquake in Afghanistan killed eight members of a family in the Gosfand Dara area of Kabul province on Friday. The 5.8-magnitude quake, which struck at 8:42 pm local time, caused their home to collapse. A two-year-old boy was the only survivor from the household and sustained injuries. The epicenter was located in the northeastern province of Badakhshan, approximately 290km from Kabul. Tremors were felt in Kabul, parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan and New Delhi. Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes due to its location along the Hindu Kush mountain range.

Heavy rains and snowfall in Afghanistan, ending a prolonged dry spell, have triggered flash floods across several regions since Monday, resulting in at least 17 deaths and 11 injuries. The flooding has impacted central, northern, southern, and western areas, damaging infrastructure, killing livestock, and affecting 1,800 families. Casualties include five members of a family in Herat province whose roof collapsed. The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority has dispatched assessment teams to the worst-hit areas to evaluate needs. Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events due to conflict, poor infrastructure, deforestation, and climate change.