A severe storm bringing heavy rainfall to eastern Afghanistan has resulted in the deaths of at least 35 people, according to a Taliban official on Monday. Sediqullah Quraishi, provincial director of the information and culture department, reported that many others were injured across Nangarhar province.
Families devastated by storm’s impact
Among the deceased were five members of a single family whose house roof collapsed in the Surkh Rod district, leaving four other family members injured. Quraishi noted that women and children were among the casualties and injuries, with the storm causing significant property and crop damage throughout the province.
Hospitals overwhelmed with injured
Aminullah Sharif, head of the regional hospital in Nangarhar, reported that 207 injured individuals were brought in for treatment from Jalalabad and surrounding districts. In response, dozens of locals gathered at the hospital to donate blood for the injured, highlighting the community's efforts to assist those affected by the disaster.
Background of ongoing weather challenges
Earlier, the World Food Program (WFP) reported that exceptionally heavy rains in Afghanistan had previously killed more than 300 people and destroyed thousands of houses, primarily in the northern province of Baghlan, on May 10 and May 11. The WFP noted that survivors of these earlier storms have been left without homes, land, or sources of livelihood, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
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