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Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Snapshot of Flash Floods in 2022 (as of 31 August 2022)

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Key Messages

Overview: Lowest level of spring flooding in 2022 compared to the past five years, but a surge in atypical floods during the summer season (June-August). While these have been devastating for communities affected, yearly averages have not been impacted.

Historic Trends: The overall number of people affected by flooding in 2022 (110,600) remains much lower than the 275,000 people recorded to be affected by floods in 2019.

Impact: A small percentage of the flood incidents (5%) account for nearly half of all affected families (45%). More than half of the flooding incidents (56%) and more than a third of the affected families (36%) were recorded in the Eastern region.

Response Planning: The 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) had already accounted for a proportion of the population to be affected by sudden-onset emergencies throughout the year. Some 150,000 people were projected to be affected by natural disasters (mainly floods) and 500,000 people to be internally displaced. At present, the actual impact remains well below annual projections.

Response Approach: the provision of emergency assistance is part of ongoing response activities under the 2022 HRP. Partners had already been delivering humanitarian assistance in flood-affected areas and have pivoted existing supply stocks and services to reach flood affected communities. Initial relief is essential to saving lives and reducing suffering but does not mean that the totality of people’s needs have been covered.

Gaps: While supplies for short-term emergency assistance are mostly available, complementary development support to rebuild destroyed houses and service infrastructure; restore livelihoods through livestock and grain replenishment; and put in place preventive investments (for example, the building of dams or establishment of early warning systems) can mitigate prolonged suffering and avert further risks of double exposure to natural disasters and climate-related shocks.

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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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