Afghanistan: At least 42 people killed, 54 others injured due to natural disasters in past month
May 28, 2023
Kabul [Afghanistan], May 28 : At least 42 people were killed and 54 others were injured in 13 provinces of Afghanistan due to natural disasters over the previous month, Khaama Press reported citing the Taliban-led Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA).
Shafiullah Rahimi, a spokesman for the Taliban-led ministry in a video said that 341 residential houses were entirely or partially destroyed, 19,573 acres of agricultural land were destroyed, and 1,354 cattle were lost in these regions, mainly due to flash floods during this period.
According to Rahimi, the incidents took place in Kapisa, Maidan Wardak, Takhar, Badakhshan, Ghor, Kandahar, Kunar, Nuristan, Laghman, Paktia, Khost, Daikundi and Nangarhar, Khaama Press reported.
As per the news report, Afghanistan is a nation that is prone to natural disasters like earthquakes, flooding, landslide, freezing winters and avalanches.
According to Taliban-led Disaster management ministry officials, more than 1000 people have been killed while more than 2000 others have been injured due to natural disasters over the past year, Khaama Press reported.
As many as 19 people were killed and over 200 others were wounded after an earthquake struck Afghanistan in March. The earthquake of 6.5 magnitudes jolted Afghanistan and Pakistan with the epicentre in the Jurm district of Afghanistan's Badakhshan province.
At least 70 people died due to cold weather in January, Khaama Press reported citing a report. More than 70,000 cattle have perished in the Baghlan, Sare-ePul, Frayab, Takhar, Kandahar, Nimroz and Badghis regions of Afghanistan.
In June last year, at least 1000 people were killed and 1500 others were injured in eastern Afghanistan due to an earthquake, Khaama Press cited a report.
Meanwhile, residents of Helmand province in Afghanistan have complained of heavy losses due to lack of water as agriculture is an important and only source of income in the region, TOLO News reported.
The lone river in the Musa Qala region in southeast Helmand province has lately dried up, leaving the locals there in a desperate predicament. The locals claimed to have experienced losses and to be in appalling circumstances.
Agriculture is the only source of income for Abdullah, whose harvests have been destroyed due to the lack of water there.
"In Helmand, there is no water in general. The water in wells has also dropped. You see it here that the harvests of wheat have dried up due to lack of water," Abdullah said, according to TOLO News.
Residents urged the Taliban to address their challenges, however, there has been no improvement in the situation of the farmers in the region, TOLO News reported.
As per the news report, another farmer named Abdul Ahad in Helmand said, "Here was a garden of almonds. The condition was good. But now due to lack of water, the almond trees have been destroyed."
