Severe heavy rains have wreaked havoc in Afghanistan, resulting in the loss of approximately 70 lives over the past five days, according to the government’s disaster management department.
In neighboring Pakistan, the situation is not any better, with 65 fatalities reported in storm-related incidents due to rain falling at nearly double the historical average rate, as confirmed by officials to AFP.
In Dubai, Emirates airline, the city’s flagship carrier, had to cancel all check-ins due to the challenging conditions caused by flooding, which led to inaccessible roads and disruptions in metro services.
The drought-stricken Afghanistan faced further misery as an unusually dry winter dried up the land, making it susceptible to flash floods triggered by the heavy spring rains affecting most provinces.
Janan Sayeq, a spokesperson for disaster management, revealed that around 70 people lost their lives due to the rain between Saturday and Wednesday, with 56 others sustaining injuries. Additionally, more than 2,600 homes were damaged or destroyed, and 95,000 acres of farmland were swept away.
Last week, Sayeq had provided a lower death toll, attributing most fatalities at that time to roof collapses caused by the deluges.
The United Nations had previously warned about Afghanistan’s vulnerability to extreme weather patterns. After enduring decades of conflict, the nation is ill-equipped to face such climatic challenges, which are increasingly severe and frequent due to climate change.
Earlier this year, eastern Afghanistan witnessed a tragic landslide following heavy snowfall, claiming the lives of at least 25 individuals. Furthermore, around 60 people perished in a three-week span of continuous precipitation ending in March.
In Pakistan, heavy downpours between Friday and Monday triggered flash floods, leading to house collapses and claiming at least 28 lives due to lightning strikes.
The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northwest Pakistan recorded the highest death toll, with 32 casualties, including 15 children, and over 1,300 homes damaged.
Officials attributed all the fatalities to collapsing walls and roofs, as reported by Anwar Khan, spokesperson for the province’s disaster management authority.
The city of Dubai also faced the wrath of nature, with highways submerged and airport operations severely disrupted. Record-breaking rains drenched the desert Emirates, causing chaos in the financial hub.
As traffic came to a standstill on the flooded expressways, one casualty was reported when a 70-year-old man got swept away in his car in Ras Al-Khaimah, one of the region’s emirates.
Passengers were advised to avoid Dubai Airport, the world’s busiest in terms of international traffic, unless it was absolutely necessary, given the ongoing delays and disruptions in flight schedules.
Despite the challenges, Dubai Airports assured the public that efforts were in place to restore operations swiftly amid the unfavorable conditions.
Climate expert Friederike Otto highlighted the potential impact of global warming on exacerbating such extreme weather events, emphasizing the likelihood of its contribution to the severity of the recent storms.