A series of flash floods occurred in Afghanistan beginning in June 2020, with the largest and most impactful flood occurring on 26 August 2020. They were caused by torrential rain in Charikar, Parwan Province. The August floods killed at least 179 people and injured 212 others, and destroyed hundreds of houses. The Ministry of Disaster Management has also reported some casualties and destruction of infrastructure in the provinces of Kapisa, Maidan Wardak, Nangarhar, Panjshir, and Paktia.
Background
The annual monsoon season in South Asia stretches from June to September. The heavy rains are crucial for agriculture in the region, but also bring flash floods and subsequent mudslides which kill hundreds of people and cause billions of dollars in damage every year. The frequency and severity of flooding in Afghanistan has also been exacerbated by climate change, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management.
In the summer of 2020 severe flash flooding affected the Afghanistan provinces of Parwan, Kapisa, Panjshir, Maidan Wardak, Kabul, Nangahar, Nuristan, and Logar, with Parwan being the most severely impacted. Initial reports indicated a death toll of 145 people with thousands of households reporting the need for humanitarian assistance. The damage and destruction of water irrigation systems, hydro-power units, roads, buildings, hundreds of acres of crops, and the death of more than 1,200 livestock were also reported.
The devastating effects of these annual floods were compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the War in Afghanistan . In some areas, recovery and relief efforts were not possible due to fighting.
Geographical and physical impacts
The northern and western regions of Afghanistan, particularly the Takhar, Parwan, and Herat provinces, experienced heavy rainfall starting on 21 March 2020. The torrential downpours triggered flash floods that led to mass casualties and damages. By the beginning of April, 11 deaths, 15 wounded individuals, 288 destroyed homes and an additional 400 damaged properties were reported in the foregoing provinces. Additionally, 500 hectares of crops in farmland were swept away. By the end of April, 17,000 people were reportedly affected by the floods throughout the country and an estimated 1,800 houses were ravaged or entirely destroyed.
Charikar, the capital of Parwan, was one of the cities most affected by the floods. The floods demolished most of the city, destroying over 1,500 homes and impacting 495 families according to ANDMA. The vast majority of displaced families are typically sheltered by other relatives or nearby communities while they wait for the rain, and subsequent floods or landslides, to subside.
Houses are often built in areas prone to flooding. The density of many cities, in conjunction with the rapidity with which floods occur, increase the deadliness of the natural disaster. It is recognized that climate change is increasing the frequency and destructiveness of floods occurring annually.
Humanitarian responses
Local Response
ANDMA is the primary national disaster organization that has created protocols and procedures to coordinate and manage disaster-related "mitigation, preparedness, and responses" through local and national services. It is authorized as the central agency for all disaster-related interventions in the country, with Directorates in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan implementing "government-led federal and provincial coordination mechanisms". Afghanistan's development strategy incorporates ANDMA's mission to minimize all disasters' consequences to achieve their national development goals.
Reports on 29 August 2020, suggested 2,049 households were affected by the floods. ANDMA, with the collaboration of Joint Assessment Teams, confirmed 1,876 families in need of humanitarian assistance in the provinces of Parwan, Wardak, Kapisa, Logar, Kabul, Nuristan, Kunar, Laghman, and Nangarhar. The joint assessments identified the number of casualties and impact on agricultural land and public infrastructure. And in provinces like Kabul, they distributed one-month food supplies to the families affected. Furthermore, ANDMA cooperated and worked effectively with other humanitarian partners to ensure effective responses on their end.