Over 31,000 Affected by Floods in Afghanistan

DID Press: UN Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) reported that over 31,000 people in Afghanistan were affected by flash floods in 2025, highlighting the country’s growing vulnerability to climate-related disasters.

Officials from Afghanistan’s disaster management agencies noted that recent floods in early 2026 have also caused significant casualties. In the past ten days alone, at least 77 people have died and 137 others were injured.

The floods have inflicted widespread damage to homes, agricultural lands, and local infrastructure, intensifying the pressures on vulnerable communities already facing poverty, displacement, and limited access to basic services.

UN-Habitat emphasized that many Afghan citizens live in substandard settlements with poor drainage systems, leaving them exposed to severe weather events.

The agency also warned that rapid urbanization, informal housing expansion, and weak infrastructure increase the risks from natural hazards. According to assessments, around 80 percent of urban residents in Afghanistan live in informal settlements.

To reduce these risks, UN-Habitat recommends investing in resilient infrastructure, improving urban systems, and implementing climate adaptation programs.

In parallel, the agency is working with the Afghanistan Multi-Donor Trust Fund to strengthen local communities’ capacity to respond to future crises.

The report also highlights that the city of Taloqan in Takhar province has expanded nearly fivefold over the past 19 years, a trend experts say requires careful urban planning to mitigate future natural hazard risks.