KABUL (SW) – The flood victims in several provinces of Afghanistan have expressed frustration over the lack of aid, saying that despite weeks passing since the floods, they are still without basic necessities.
They report that the lack of shelter, food, and clean drinking water has made both themselves and their children sick.
Yar Mohammad, a resident of Firozkoh city in Ghor province, says he lost everything in the recent floods and is now left destitute. “We have no water or food; the flood destroyed everything we had, and we are in a dire situation now. We are in this scorching sun during the day and the cold at night. A delegation should come and see our situation; my children are all sick from hunger, thirst, and dust,” he said.
Nawid, from Belcharagh district in Faryab Province, echoed these sentiments: “We are a family of 26 people. The flood took everything from us, and we have nothing left. We survive on what little help people can provide.”
Ahmad Jawid from Darayem district in Badakhshan Province also mentioned the flood victims in this province urgently need humanitarian aid, and “it must be provided as soon as possible”. He added: “Many people don’t even have food for the night. The situation is very bad, and they need food urgently. Those who have nothing cannot meet their children’s needs, leading to mental and emotional distress.”
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan have declared the situation critical and called for urgent global assistance.
UNICEF’s report states, “Tens of thousands of children in Afghanistan remain affected by ongoing floods, especially in the northern provinces of Baghlan and Badakhshan and the western province of Ghor. UNICEF and other humanitarian actors must respond swiftly and on a larger scale to mitigate these effects.”
The WHO report also highlights that recent floods in Afghanistan have displaced over 5,000 families and destroyed 7,800 homes.
Additionally, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced that it needs $14.5 million over the next seven months to assist flood victims.
