Heavy snow and rain over the past three days have killed at least 61 people and injured more than 100 across Afghanistan, officials said Saturday, as authorities worked to reopen roads and reach isolated villages.
Yousaf Hammad, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, reported that 458 homes were fully or partially destroyed and hundreds of livestock perished in 15 of the country’s 34 provinces. He added that the figures could change as officials receive more updates from affected areas.
Afghanistan is highly susceptible to extreme weather, with heavy snow and rain often triggering deadly flash floods. In 2024 alone, more than 300 people died in spring floods. Decades of conflict, weak infrastructure, deforestation, and the growing effects of climate change have worsened the impact of these disasters, particularly in remote regions where many homes are made of mud and offer little protection against severe weather.
The country’s eastern provinces are still recovering from major earthquakes last August and November, which destroyed villages and killed over 2,200 people. Those displaced by the quakes are especially at risk, facing harsh winter conditions and inadequate shelter. In December, UNICEF reported that roughly 270,000 children in quake-affected areas faced life-threatening risks from the cold.
Earlier this month, the United Nations described Afghanistan as “one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises in 2026” and launched a $1.7 billion appeal to provide aid to nearly 18 million people in urgent need.
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