HALO Afghanistan Flooding Disaster Response

On the evening of 22nd July 2023, areas of central and eastern Afghanistan were hit by torrential rainfall which triggered flash-flooding in Maydan Wardak, Khost, Logar, and Kabul. By 24th July, 31 fatalities were recorded, with a further 41 missing and 74 injured in Maydan Wardak alone. Further casualties were also reported in Kabul and Khost provinces. By 30th July, the total number of casualties had risen to 61, with a further 126,000 people directly impacted by the flash flooding which had damaged 1,360 homes, destroyed 13,023 hectares of agricultural land and killed over 1,230 livestock.

In the days following, HALO deployed two mechanical units, usually used for landmine clearance, to both Maydan Wardak and Kabul, where they cleared roads enabling access for the delivery of further humanitarian assistance.

HALO personnel also worked to ensure that communities impacted by the flood had a ready supply of clean water, providing water purification kits and highlighting the potential risks posed by water-borne diseases.

In the Paghman district, those displaced from their homes have also been forced to contend with explosive ordnance washing down from the hillsides because of the heavy rainfall. HALO deployed a multi-functional, quick-response team alongside mechanical units and aid conveys to clear over 120 displaced items of explosive ordnance, protecting the community from additional harm.

Following this initial response, HALO deployed two mechanical teams to Toika village in Maydan Wardak where they continue to conduct rubble-removal, riverbed clearance and riverbank reconstruction, assisting in post-flood recovery by redirecting newly eroded streams from vital agricultural land and preventing subsidence in the surrounding villages by building channels to allow floodwater drain. HALO anticipates it will take a few months to complete this crucial work which will allow communities in the are to better prepare for the coming winter.

As winter approaches, HALO continues to support these communities in collaboration with the greater humanitarian community. HALO's relief efforts have been made possible by your generous support. Thank you for joining us in responding to this flooding and providing the essential support to those affected.