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2020 Afghanistan flood

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2020 Afghanistan flood
LocationAfghanistan
Deaths190

A series of flash floods occurred in Afghanistan beginning in June 2020, with the largest and most impactful flood occurring on August 26, 2020. They were caused by torrential rain in Charikar, Parwan Province.[1] The floods killed at least 190 people and injured 250 others, and destroyed hundreds of houses.[2] 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.[3]

Recovery efforts were complicated by the ongoing War in Afghanistan, as in some areas, delivering assistance was not possible due to fighting.[4]

The death toll was reported as being between 145-160 on 29 August 2020. 129 of reported deaths at that time were reported in Parwan.[5]

Background

The annual monsoon season in South Asia, stretching from June to September, brings heavy floods and subsequent mudslides, killing hundreds of people and costing billions of dollars in damage every year. [6] The frequency and severity of flooding Afghanistan has also been exacerbated by climate change, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management.[1] In 2020, the devastating effects of these annual floods were compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the War in Afghanistan .[4]

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[2]. Initial reports indicated a death toll of 190 people with thousands of households reporting the need for humanitarian assistance.[7]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.[7]

Numerous humanitarian and disaster relief organizations, including The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), UN Office of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UNICEF, and World Food Program (WFP), were deployed to the region to provide assistance.[7] Critical assistance to flood victims was also provided by the Afghan Security and Defense, who lead recovery efforts through debris removal, search and rescue, and distribution of meals, drinking water, hygiene kits, and blankets donated by NATO Resolute Support Mission[8].

Humanitarian Responses

Local Response

The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (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[9]. 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"[9]. Afghanistan's development strategy incorporates ANDMA's mission to minimize all disasters' consequences to achieve their national development goals[10].

Reports on August 29, 2020, suggested 2,049 households were affected by the floods[7]. 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[7]. The joint assessments identified the number of casualties and impact on agricultural land and public infrastructure[7]. And in provinces like Kabul, they distributed one-month food supplies to the families affected[7]. Furthermore, ANDMA cooperated and worked effectively with other humanitarian partners to ensure effective responses on their end[7].

With Parwan being the most severely impacted province with 500 damaged homes and 300-400 families displaced[11], the Afghan Ministry of Defense deployed its army to clear roads and carry rescue operations[12]. Afghan security forces also joined NATO to remove debris, lead rescue searches, and distribute aid[8]. The Parwan Provincial authorities launched food, water, and warm clothes distribution while using schools to provide temporary shelter[11]. They used resources from the Public Works Department to transport injured people to Kabul and Parwan Hospitals[11].

Covid-19 measures were impossible for displaced families to follow and exacerbated the environment for already vulnerable people[11]. Despite local rescue and responses to flood disasters, thousands of buildings in Afghanistan are located in areas near rivers[12]. They are prone to dangerous floods without the proper flood mitigation protocols in place[12].

International Response[edit | edit source]

According to the United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the international community recognizes that Afghanistan is at a high risk of natural disasters and associated human suffering[13].  The European Commission INFORM risk classification designates Afghanistan as very high risk based on overall risk of hazards, low socio-economic status and limited coping and infrastructure[14].  Many international humanitarian actors maintain a constant presence in Afghanistan and were prepared to respond, along with ANDMA to the floods throughout the 2020 flooding season.

Prior to the beginning of the 2020 flood season OCHA produced the Afghanistan ICCT Flood Contingency Plan which predicted flooding in 2020 to return to typical levels after the preceding three years of drought[13].  However, the report also recognized that the effects of climate change are likely to lead to increased frequency and intensity of severe natural weather events, including floods and that this would likely generate increased humanitarian need[13].

Immediately after the most severe flood event of 26 August 2020, numerous international aid organizations were on the ground in the most severely affected Parwan province and began assisting ANDMA with assessments of the damage and loss of life[15].  The actors present were International Organization for Migration (IOM), World Food Program (WFP), Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DCAAR), Danish Refugee Council (DRC), CARE International and Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS).  By 8 September 2020, OCHA reported that the seven humanitarian actors had distributed non-food items (NFIs), tents, emergency shelters, cash for food and hygiene kits to 892 families[16]. IOM also reported that NFIs, shelter, cash for food and hygiene kits were distributed by various international organizations and ANDMA to an additional 1116 families in the central region, 9 families in the eastern region and, 48 families in the southeast region[16].

Immediate Mortality and Morbidity Implications

The August 2020 flood in Afghanistan was the third deadliest natural disaster of 2020, worldwide.[17] The flash flood resulted in initial reports of 145 deaths along with 167 seriously injured as of August 29, 2020[18]. These numbers increased to 179 deaths and 212 seriously injured in September 22, 2020[19], 157 of the deaths were reported in Parwan Province alone. Injuries and causes of death were mostly from sources connected to head trauma, drowning and electrocution. A local hospital in Parwan was destroyed in the disaster, further complicating treating the injured in the most affected province[20]. The context of the flash flood, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, along with civil conflict created an environment for further potential mortality and morbidity implications. During the search and rescue efforts following the flood the Taliban opened fire on civilians killing 4 flood survivors and injuring 3 others.[21][22] The floods left affected populations with limited food and sources of livelihood, which combined with other factors left the vulnerable to epidemics and infectious diseases including water borne and lung related illnesses, and the spread of Covid-19.[23][24]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Flash floods kill more than 70 in Afghanistan". 26 August 2020 – via Reuters.
  2. ^ a b "Over 110 Killed in Flash Floods in Afghanistan". TOLOnews. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Afghanistan flooding: Dozens dead, hundreds of homes destroyed". Al Jazeera English.
  4. ^ a b Gibbons-Neff, Thomas; Abed, Fahim (27 August 2020). "'I Lost Everyone': Floods Bruise a War-Weary Afghanistan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Death Toll Rises to 129 for Parwan Floods". TOLOnews. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  6. ^ CNN, Ehsan Popalzai and Sugam Pokharel. "Afghanistan floods kill dozens, with many still missing". CNN. Retrieved 23 October 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Afghanistan Flash | Conflict Displacement and Localised Flooding | 31 August 2020 | HumanitarianResponse". www.humanitarianresponse.info. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b NATO. "NATO and Afghan security forces provide relief to flood victims in Afghanistan". NATO. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  9. ^ a b "NDMIS | Reports". ndmis.andma.gov.af. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  10. ^ "CISR~GMAR: Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority". www.jmu.edu. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  11. ^ a b c d "Flash Update No. 1, 26 August 2020: Localised floods in Central and Eastern Afghanistan - Afghanistan". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  12. ^ a b c "Scores killed, many still missing after flash floods ravage Afghanistan, crumbling homes". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  13. ^ a b c "Afghanistan: ICCT Flood Contingency Plan (Mar - Jun 2020) | HumanitarianResponse". www.humanitarianresponse.info. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  14. ^ "INFORM > INFORM Risk > Country Profile". drmkc.jrc.ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Flash Flood Situation Report 29 August 2020 | International Organization for Migration". afghanistan.iom.int. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  16. ^ a b "Flash Flood Assessment and Response Update - 8 Sep 2020 | International Organization for Migration". afghanistan.iom.int. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  17. ^ ""Here Are 10 of the Deadliest Natural Disasters in 2020"". US News. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "SITUATION REPORT,29 AUGUST 2020" (PDF). IOM UN Migration. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "Afghanistan: Flash Floods ES/NFI Assessed Needs (September 2020) - Afghanistan". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Afghanistan flash floods kill 160, search for bodies continues". ABC News. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  21. ^ Services, Compiled from Wire (27 August 2020). "Taliban kills 4 survivors of Afghanistan flash floods, with peace talks ahead". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  22. ^ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas; Abed, Fahim (27 August 2020). "'I Lost Everyone': Floods Bruise a War-Weary Afghanistan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  23. ^ "Afghanistan flash floods kill 160, search for bodies continues". ABC News. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  24. ^ "Afghanistan - Complex Emergency" (PDF). US Aid. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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