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Severe flooding, a landslide and thunderstorms in Afghanistan killed 17 people and injured 26 over the last 24 hours, the National Disaster Management Authority said. The agency said the death toll could rise as its teams surveyed affected areas.
In a statement, the authority’s spokesman, Yousuf Hammad, said the worst impacts were spread across 13 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. Hammad said the areas hit were mostly in the western, central and northwestern parts of the country.
Hammad said the extreme weather caused widespread damage to homes, with 147 residences either completely or partially destroyed. He also said that, in total, 530 families were affected by the flooding and related storms.
The authority said the disaster damaged more than housing, including farmland and infrastructure. Hammad said the storms destroyed agricultural land and irrigation canals, wiped out 80 kilometers (about 50 miles) of roads and destroyed businesses.
Hammad said heavy rainfall was forecast to affect eastern and central parts of Afghanistan on Monday and that flooding was possible in those areas as well. The disaster management authority warned residents to avoid riverbanks and other places at risk of flooding, and it ordered local officials to remain on standby to provide assistance.
The National Disaster Management Authority said the new casualties came as Afghanistan continues to face deadly weather events during the season. Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country.
Afghanistan is considered highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, where snow and heavy rain can trigger flash floods. The authority’s statement and the broader pattern this season reflect how disasters can compound harm in remote areas where many homes are built of mud and provide limited protection during sudden deluges or heavy snowfall.