Responding to the flash floods that began on 20 July and affected nine provinces across Afghanistan, with Nuristan the hardest-hit province, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Spokesperson said:
"What we're seeing in Nuristan is devastating. Families have lost everything in a matter of hours - homes, shops, roads, swept away. Rescue teams are operating in one of the most remote and hard-to-reach parts of the country, digging through rubble by hand, with the constant risk of more flooding.
"IOM teams are on the ground assessing the needs of affected communities, and our trucks are already on the way with life-saving relief supplies. Across Afghanistan, communities barely have time to recover before the next disaster hits. This is the reality of climate vulnerability layered on top of years of conflict and fragile infrastructure. People simply do not have the resources or resilience left to absorb repeated shocks.
"Families who have lost their homes need shelter, clean water, and support to rebuild - not only in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, but in the months that follow. The International community must step up efforts and must not look away from Afghanistan. Humanitarian needs are urgent, and they are growing."
Background
Flash floods that began on 20 July 2026 affected nine provinces across Afghanistan, with Nuristan bearing the brunt of the devastation. According to Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), at least 23 people have died, around 80 have been injured, and more than 100 remain missing as of 21 July.
The provincial capital, Parun, was among the hardest-hit areas, where homes and other infrastructure were severely damaged. Search and rescue operations are continuing under difficult conditions amid the ongoing risk of further flash flooding.
This latest emergency is not an isolated event. Afghanistan has faced repeated flooding throughout 2026. Between March and May, floods and other climate-related hazards affected more than 11,000 families (over 82,000 people). Humanitarian assistance reached 75 per cent of those affected across the country, with the Eastern Region among the hardest hit areas. The disasters damaged more than 11,000 shelters, while also affecting critical water infrastructure and increasing risks related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Earlier nationwide floods in March and April killed 99 people and injured 154. More than 5,000 homes were destroyed, 355 kilometres of roads were washed away, and over 14,000 acres of farmland were inundated. Climate variability, including the influence of El Niño, is contributing to increased risks of extreme weather events across Afghanistan. These hazards are compounded by decades of conflict, environmental degradation, and limited coping capacity, leaving communities increasingly exposed to recurrent disasters.
