Concern responds to severe flooding in Afghanistan

The organisation is distributing tents, multi-purpose cash assistance and non-food item kits that include blankets, kitchen sets, and essential household goods to more than 640 people (92 families) in three different districts. 

The floods have caused widespread devastation, killing 11 people and injuring four more. Homes have been destroyed or damaged, along with farmland, trees and orchards. Livestock have been lost and road access to some villages cut off. 

The areas of Takhar and Badakhshan provinces that Concern work in are mountainous and remote, with weather varying from mild or hot, dry summers to cold, snowy, freezing winters. Flooding is common but has become more intense in recent years. More extreme weather, unpredictable rainfall, and higher temperatures are contributing to increasingly frequent and severe floods in Afghanistan. 

“The occurrence of heavy rains at this time of year is highly unusual. Vulnerable communities, already lacking resilience to climate shocks, are now at heightened risk of losing essential shelter and livelihoods. Afghanistan requires urgent assistance as well as sustained long-term funding to effectively respond to increasing climate-related impacts,” said Shahzad Jamil, Concern’s Country Director in Afghanistan. 

As more villages become accessible, Concern teams on the ground will continue to assess damage and identify families in need of assistance. People continue to require emergency shelter, food, hygiene items, household essentials and cash assistance, as those affected by the floods have lost their belongings along with their ability to earn a living. 

Afghanistan is amongst the top 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change. Communities across the country are grappling with intensifying climate and environmental challenges that are increasingly affecting livelihoods, food security and stability. Floods can often follow droughts, impacting the ability of rural communities to grow and harvest essential food and crops. 

Concern works with communities in northeast Afghanistan to help them reduce their flood risk by strengthening community resilience through disaster preparedness, climate-smart agriculture, and better management of natural resources. Concern has been working in Afghanistan since 1998, initially responding to a major earthquake. It continues to work in the country across the areas of emergency response, health and nutrition, and inclusive livelihoods. 

For media queries, contact Concern's Senior Comms Officer, Nicole Bayes-Fleming, at [email protected]