Posted on 24 July 2024
Recent floods in eastern Afghanistan have left at least 1,500 children homeless, worsening the country’s already severe humanitarian crisis. Heavy rains and storms have claimed the lives of approximately 40 people and caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including homes and a hospital in Jalalabad. The affected regions, including Nangarhar, Kunar, and Laghman provinces, are home to around 1.36 million people, with children making up a significant portion of the population. The floods have also injured at least 350 people and disrupted essential services, further straining the resources of a nation grappling with economic instability, food insecurity, and the impacts of climate change.
The situation is particularly critical for children, who are among the most vulnerable in such disasters. Save the Children has highlighted the urgent need for international support to address both immediate and long-term impacts of the flooding. The organisation is actively responding through health and emergency response programmes, deploying teams to assess the damage and provide necessary aid. However, the scale of the disaster requires the need for sustained global efforts to help Afghanistan’s communities adapt to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, driven by climate change.