MEHTARLAM (SW) – A number of residents in Laghman province, who have suffered from natural disasters over the past year, are calling on the de-facto government and humanitarian organizations to help rebuild their homes.
These residents, speaking to Salam Watandar, express their concerns as winter approaches, with many of their homes still in ruins from floods, leaving them in desperate need of assistance.
Rahimullah, a resident of Mehtarlam, the provincial capital of Laghman, said that his house was destroyed by a flood five months ago. He is now living in a rented house and is urging the de-facto government to provide shelter for his family before the winter sets in.
“I am poor and helpless; I ask the government and relief organizations to build us a proper shelter before winter arrives,” Rahimullah said.
Safiullah, a neighbor of Rahimullah, who also lost his home in the floods, is calling for the construction of water retention dams in flood-prone areas to address the issue more permanently. According to him, building such dams would protect communities from the recurring threat of floods.
“If water retention dams are built, the people will be much safer from the dangers of floods,” Safiullah added.
Meanwhile, officials from Laghman’s Directorate of Disaster Management report that hundreds of families were affected by the floods this year and are now facing various hardships.
Khair Mohammad Ghazi, head of the Directorate, told Salam Watandar that floods over the past year and a half in the province’s center and five districts have caused extensive damage, with hundreds of homes destroyed.
“Approximately 1,300 homes were destroyed in Laghman, some of which have been rebuilt by the people themselves, but 650 houses remain in ruins, and the people are unable to rebuild them. We are working with partner organizations to address this issue,” Ghazi explained.
In the past year, floods across various provinces have led to the loss of hundreds of lives and injuries, and thousands of homes have been destroyed, exacerbating the challenges faced by many Afghan families as they prepare for the harsh winter season.
