KABUL, Afghanistan — Widespread flooding, landslides and lightning strikes triggered by heavy rain and storms have killed 77 people and injured 137 across Afghanistan over the past 10 days, the country’s Disaster Management Authority said.
The AP report says the death toll includes 26 people killed in the previous 48 hours alone, showing how quickly the weather emergency escalated. Officials also warned that more rain was forecast in the coming days and urged people to stay away from riverbanks and other areas prone to flooding. The country has now been hit by multiple rounds of dangerous weather in a year that already saw other deadly episodes of snow and flash flooding.
The damage to housing and infrastructure is extensive. According to the authority, 793 homes were completely destroyed and 2,673 more were damaged. Floods and landslides also destroyed 337 kilometers, or about 210 miles, of roads. Businesses, agricultural land, water wells and irrigation canals were damaged as well, leaving more than 5,800 families affected overall.
The report adds that several highways connecting Kabul to the provinces were damaged or blocked, forcing travelers onto long detours. The Kabul-to-Jalalabad highway, a key route to the Pakistani border and eastern provinces, was shut after landslides, rockfalls and flooding. The Salang Pass, a major mountain corridor linking the capital to northern Afghanistan, was also closed by flooding. Those closures matter because they can isolate communities and delay relief at the very moment it is most needed.
Afghanistan is especially vulnerable to this kind of disaster. The AP report describes it as an impoverished country with limited resilience to extreme weather, and notes that dozens have already died this year from storms, snow and flash floods. In 2024, more than 300 people died in spring floods, a grim reminder that this is not a one-off event but a recurring national risk.
The immediate policy response in the packet is largely advisory: stay clear of flood-prone terrain and wait for roads to reopen. But the scale of destruction suggests the recovery will be longer than a weather bulletin can capture. Homes need rebuilding, roads must be cleared, and families that lost access to wells and canals will need water and agricultural support.
For now, the official tally is stark: 77 dead, 137 injured, thousands of homes damaged or destroyed, and more rain still on the way. The numbers show how fast climate-driven disasters can overwhelm local capacity in a country already living with insecurity and poverty.
The damage tally also hints at the scale of the recovery challenge ahead. Destroyed homes, damaged roads and disrupted irrigation systems can quickly turn a weather emergency into a longer economic setback, especially in rural areas where families depend on a single route or water source. The report’s warning to stay away from rivers and flood-prone land is sensible, but it also reflects how much of Afghanistan’s infrastructure remains exposed to nature. As more rain approaches, the immediate priority will be keeping travelers safe and reopening roads where possible. After that, the harder work begins: restoring homes, replacing lost goods and helping communities restart agriculture before the next season arrives.
