Tragic Heavy Rains in Pakistan and Afghanistan
Reports indicate that heavy rains have caused devastation in Pakistan's northwest, resulting in the loss of eight lives, with 12 individuals sustaining injuries. Anwar Shahzad, a spokesperson for the local disaster management authority, revealed that the downpours in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province led to the collapse of rooms, trapping and crushing the occupants inside. Among the deceased, three were siblings aged between 3 and 7 years old from the same family. These tragic incidents occurred within the past 24 hours.
Pakistan has encountered a delay in winter rains this year, with the season commencing in February instead of the usual November timeframe. Both monsoon and winter rains are known to cause significant damage in Pakistan annually. Earlier this month, approximately 30 individuals lost their lives in rain-related events in the northwest region.
Meanwhile, across the border in Afghanistan, heavy rainfall on March 29 and 30 resulted in the destruction of over 1,500 acres of agricultural land. This led to severe damage to hundreds of homes and critical infrastructure such as bridges and roads in seven provinces, as reported by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The most affected provinces include northern Faryab, eastern Nangarhar, and central Daikundi.
Notably, this marks the third instance of flooding in the northern region in less than a month. During this period, seven individuals lost their lives, and 384 families were impacted by the heavy rains, according to the U.N. agency.
