Devastating floods and heavy rainfall have caused widespread destruction and loss of life across Afghanistan and Pakistan, resulting in over 120 fatalities in the past two weeks. The extreme weather events are attributed to climate change, leading to landslides, home collapses, and significant damage to crops and infrastructure.

Fatalities and Damage Across Both Nations

Disaster officials from both Afghanistan and Pakistan reported at least 121 deaths as of Saturday. The severe storms have impacted Afghanistan since late March, triggering floods, landslides, and damage to agricultural resources.

Afghanistan's Toll

Mohammad Yousuf Hammad, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s disaster management authority (ANDMA), stated that 77 people have died and 137 have been injured in Afghanistan since March 26. In the last 48 hours alone, 26 lives were lost due to rains, floods, landslides, and lightning.

A child tragically drowned in a flash flood in Ghazni province while playing on Saturday morning. Earlier that day, three people died in Kandahar province when the roof of their home collapsed due to the persistent rains.

Pakistan's Impact

Officials in Pakistan have reported 44 fatalities from the recent heavy rainfall. The northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has experienced at least 32 deaths since March 25, while the southwestern province of Balochistan has seen 12 deaths since March 20.

Impact on Communities and Livelihoods

Farmers are particularly affected by the unprecedented flooding. Abdul Rahim Taimori, a farmer in Herat, stated, “We don’t remember such a flood happening before. It has caused us a lot of damage. It has destroyed the crops of people, their homes.”

Majal Niazi, a farmer, expressed the difficult situation, saying, “Where shall we go? We are forced to stay.” The floods have also caused road closures, including a partial closure of the route connecting Kabul to Jalalabad.

A Complex Situation

Despite the devastation, ANDMA spokesman Hammad noted that the rainfall could benefit agriculture by strengthening underground water sources. However, this potential benefit is overshadowed by the immediate crisis.

These recent casualties follow over 60 deaths from heavy snowfall and rains in January, highlighting Afghanistan’s vulnerability to extreme weather. Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of these events to climate change.

Abdul Sattar, a farmer in Herat, observed, “It was drought before and now we have these rains, both are a danger.”