Severe flooding, a landslide and thunderstorms in parts of Afghanistan have left 17 people dead and 26 injured over the last 24 hours, authorities said Sunday, the latest casualties from extreme weather in the country this season.
The number of casualties could increase as crews from the country's National Disaster Management Authority survey the affected areas, the authority's spokesman Yousuf Hammad said in a statement. Thirteen of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, mostly in the western, central and northwestern parts of the country, were affected.
The severe weather also left 147 homes either completely or partially destroyed, wiped out 80 kilometers of roads and destroyed agricultural land and irrigation canals, Hammad said.
Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country.
Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with snow and heavy rain that triggers flash floods often killing dozens, or even hundreds, of people at a time. In 2024, more than 300 people died in springtime flash floods.
Decades of conflict coupled with poor infrastructure, a struggling economy, deforestation and the intensifying effects of climate change have amplified the impact of such disasters, particularly in remote areas where many homes are built of mud and offer limited protection against sudden deluges or heavy snowfall.
At least 42 people have been killed following severe flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall across Afghanistan, according to officials.
The National Disaster Management Authority of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stated that 14 people lost their lives within the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 42.
Authorities reported that at least 17 others were injured as extreme weather conditions continued to affect several provinces.
Widespread flooding, landslides and lightning strikes triggered by fierce storms across Afghanistan have left 77 people dead and 137 injured over the last 10 days, the country's Disaster Management Authority said Saturday.
More rain has been forecast for the coming days throughout Afghanistan, and the authority warned the public to stay away from river banks and other areas prone to flooding.
So far this year, dozens of people have died due to extreme weather in Afghanistan, an impoverished country that is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events. Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country.
The recent toll includes 26 people killed over the last 48 hours, the disaster authority said.
Taliban-run National Disaster Preparedness Authority officials say recent floods across Afghanistan have killed 99 people and injured 154 others.
Mohammad Yousuf Hamad, spokesperson for the authority, said in a video statement on Sunday, March 5, 2026, that 13 people died and 13 others were injured in the past 24 hours alone across several provinces.
He added that around 6,000 families have been affected by the floods, with more than 3,600 homes either partially or completely destroyed.
According to the authority, heavy rainfall triggered destructive floods in over 20 provinces, leaving thousands of families without their property.
The floods also destroyed approximately 11,700 jeribs of farmland and damaged 337 kilometers of roads.
Heavy rainfall and related disasters across Afghanistan have killed 148 people since March 25, the National Disaster Management Authority said on Wednesday, with 15 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours.
The authority spokesperson Hafiz Mohammad Yusuf Hammad, in a video message posted on X, said the number of injured has risen to 216, while eight more people are missing due to rain-related incidents.
The fatalities were caused by heavy rainfall, flash floods, landslides, house collapses, thunderstorms and lightning strikes, the official added.
Comment: Update April 1
ilkha.com reports: Update April 4
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