AFGHANISTAN FLOOD RESPONSE
MAY 2024: Hundreds have been killed and many more made homeless in the Baghlan Province of Afghanistan. Last week’s devastating floods were triggered by heavy rainfall, which formed powerful rivers of water and mud – sweeping through villages and ruining crops. The death toll has exceeded 300, and more than 1,000 homes were destroyed, according to officials from the UN World Food Program (WFP).
Update: Officials have expanded the list of severely affected regions to include Badakhshan, Ghor, and Herat provinces.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Send help to the hundreds of people who were affected by these floods. Salam Charity is working with international partners to deliver your donations.
Just £2.50 can help us provide a hot meal of meat, rice, bread and water and £60 can provide a food pack providing support for a whole month.
STATS AT A GLANCE
- Death toll: 300+
- Homes destroyed: 1,000+
- Provinces Affected: More than 3
PREVIOUS WORK IN AFGHANISTAN
In October 2023, a series of powerful earthquakes devastated parts of western Afghanistan. They killed at least 1,500 people and affected around 114,000 more, all of whom needed urgent humanitarian assistance.
These earthquakes, which affected the Herat, Badghis, and Farah provinces, began with a 6.3-magnitude quake on October 7, followed by two more on October 11 and 15 (which reached a magnitude of 6.4). The districts where they happened were already vulnerable, and the widespread destruction worsened people’s suffering.
Salam Charity mobilised distributions to reach the people affected by these earthquakes. We distributed 60 food packs, 1,200 hot meals, 265 hygiene kits, and 100 blankets (October-December 2023).
Case Study
How the floods have affected an Afghanistan family
The flood took everything from us. We lost our house and everything we owned. Now we’re living in this tent with our children.
But it’s not enough to protect us. When it rains, we are forced to leave our tent and escape to the hills – with only one blanket between us. It is impossible to live in this tent during the warm days, too. We urgently need a real house – a place to give us shelter and shade, so that we don’t have to keep moving.
While we might be able to endure these conditions, our children are struggling. Their health and safety are at risk here.
It is heartbreaking to see them hungry, but we don’t have any food or resources left. In the floods we lost all our land where we used to plant vegetables.
Without immediate help, our situation will get worse and worse. We need food and water to survive, and we need a permanent home to start rebuilding our lives.”
