Dozens die, hundreds displaced as flash floods, lightning wreak havoc in Pakistan, Afghanistan

Dozens of people lost their lives due to flash floods, severe rainfall, and thunderstorms in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the past three days. The two nations are facing the brunt of extreme weather conditions, which are mainly seen as the result of ‘climate change’.

Heavy flooding due to seasonal rains killed at least 33 people and injured 27 others in three days in Afghanistan, a Taliban spokesman said Sunday. Lightning and heavy downpours killed nearly 36 people, mostly farmers, across Pakistan in the past few days, reported AP citing officials on Monday.

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Afghanistan floods: Nearly 33 people killed, 27 injured in three days

Due to severe flooding from seasonal rains in Afghanistan, nearly 33 people lost their lives and 27 people were injured in the past three days, confirmed a Taliban spokesman for the State Ministry for Natural Disaster Management.

Nearly 20 out of the country’s 34 provinces, faced the wrath of extreme seasonal rainfall. More than 600 houses were either damaged or destroyed while around 200 livestock died. The flooding also damaged large areas of agricultural land and more than 85 kilometres (53 miles) of roads, he said. Taliban has provided aid to nearly 23,000 families, he added.

Heavy rains left 36 people dead in Pakistan in three days

Afghanistan’s neighbour, Pakistan is also facing the wrath of nature’s fury through incessant rainfall, lightning, and floods. So far nearly 36 people have been killed mostly farmers across Pakistan, AP quoted Pakistan officials on Monday. Moreover, authorities in Baluchistan have declared a state of emergency.

Most of the deaths occurred when lightning struck farmers harvesting wheat and rains caused houses to collapse in eastern Punjab province, said Arfan Kathia, a spokesman for the provincial disaster management authority. He said more rains were expected this week. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered a begin relief work in the regions hit by heavy rainfall and floods.

Environmental expert flags ‘climate change’

As Pakistan continues to witness extreme weather, several environmentalists have raised the fear of severe damage because of climate change in the country.

“Two years ago, Pakistan witnessed a heat wave in March and April and now we are witnessing rains and it is all because of climate change, which had caused heavy flooding in 2022,” AP quoted Rafay Alam, a Pakistani environmental expert.