Nearly 700 died in natural disasters in Afghanistan in past year
Aug 01, 2023
Kabul [Afghanistan], August 1 : At least 700 people have lost their lives and hundreds have been injured due to natural disasters in the past year across Afghanistan, said officials from the Taliban's State Ministry for Disaster Management during their annual accountability report, reported Khaama Press.
A spokesperson for the Ministry, Shafiullah Rahimi said during a press conference that natural disasters killed nearly 700 people and injured over 700 others during this period.
Adding to that, Rahimi further said that the natural disasters have also fully or partially destroyed more than 20,000 residential houses in the country, reported Khaama Press.
Moreover, he added, “We have implemented 120 emergency and restorative projects.”
As per the Ministry's report, natural disasters, including floods, have affected 20 provinces and four other provinces witnessed natural disasters like earthquakes over the past year.
“This Ministry has recognized the natural disasters in the districts and 20 provinces faced high threats from floods, and four provinces faced earthquakes. Bamiyan, Daikundi, Badakhshan, Ghazni, Parwan and Baghlan witnessed avalanches,” Rahimi added.
In the last week of July, at least 47 people died and 57 others were injured in flash floods in eleven provinces of Afghanistan.
Wardak province has experienced its deadliest natural disaster with 32 deaths, including 23 in the Jalrez district early on Sunday, as per the provincial director for the Natural Disaster Management Authority, Faizullah Jalali Stanikzai.
The official noted that besides killing people, the floods destroyed or severely damaged 500 residential houses and agricultural lands, according to Khaama Press.
Moreover, in terms of natural disasters, Afghanistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world,k including floods, earthquakes, avalanches, landslides and drought, reported Khaama Press.
However, the lack of a proper management system and access to vulnerable areas has increased the level of destruction and further effect of natural disasters in Afghanistan.
