India sends emergency relief to flood and earthquake-hit Afghanistan

India has dispatched a fresh consignment of relief materials to Afghanistan to support those affected by the recent floods and an earthquake.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Sunday (April 5) India is committed to extending humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people in this challenging time.

“At this time of hardship being faced by Afghan people due to recent floods and earthquake, India delivers HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) materials, including kitchen sets, hygiene kits, plastic sheets, tarpaulins, sleeping bags, and more,” he said.

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“India stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and remains committed to extending humanitarian assistance and support during this challenging time,” Jaiswal said on social media.

77 dead, nearly 800 homes gone

Afghanistan’s Disaster Management Authority said on Saturday (April 4) that widespread flooding, landslides and lightning strikes triggered by heavy rain and storms had left 77 people dead and 137 injured over the previous 10 days.

More rain has been forecast for the coming days throughout Afghanistan, and the authority warned the public to stay away from river banks and areas prone to flooding.

So far this year, dozens of people have died due to extreme weather in Afghanistan, an impoverished country that is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events. Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country.

Overall, 793 homes have been completely destroyed and a further 2,673 have been damaged, while floods and landslides have destroyed 337 kilometres (about 210 miles) of roads, the disaster authority said.

Businesses, agricultural land, water wells and irrigation canals have also been damaged, with more than 5,800 families affected overall, the authority said.

Highways shut

Several highways connecting the country’s capital to the provinces have also been damaged by floods and landslides, forcing travellers to take long, circuitous routes to reach Kabul, Public Works Ministry spokesman Ashraf Haqshinas said Saturday.

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These include the Kabul to Jalalabad highway, which is the main route linking the capital to the Pakistani border and eastern Afghan provinces. A landslide and rockfalls, as well as flooding, shut the highway on Thursday morning, and Haqshinas said crews were working to re-open the road.

Flooding also shut the Salang Pass, a high mountain pass in the Hindu Kush mountain range that connects Kabul to the country's north, including the major cities of Kunduz and Mazar-e-Sharif.

Snow and heavy rain often trigger flash floods that kill scores, or even hundreds, of people at a time in Afghanistan. In 2024, more than 300 people died in springtime flash floods.

(With agency inputs)