Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Heavy flooding in Afghanistan, caused by intense rainfall on 20 July, resulted in at least 26 fatalities, including three Afghan refugees at a returnee transit camp near the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan, and left nine others injured, according to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA.
The most severe damage occurred in Parun City, the capital of Nuristan province, where a sudden flash flood around 3pm local time overwhelmed residential and commercial areas. Initial assessments indicate that at least 22 houses were destroyed and another 45 severely damaged. Infrastructure including four bridges, six road sections, irrigation canals, and flood protection walls sustained extensive damage, disrupting community access.
The flood damaged the local water supply network, affecting safe drinking water for around 1,000 families and impacting approximately 10 hectares of agricultural land, raising concerns about livelihoods in this remote region. Aid operations were also disrupted, with damage to NGO offices, warehouses, vehicles, and other assets, while one NGO staff member went missing.
Search-and-rescue efforts continue, supported by mobile health teams, medical supplies, and emergency food assistance. UNICEF and partners are establishing a field clinic in Parun to provide trauma care and emergency medical services to those affected.
Beyond Nuristan, flooding temporarily disrupted traffic through the Torkham border crossing, a key transit route to Pakistan, and caused damage to shops, livelihood installations, and the protection wall of a refugee repatriation compound where humanitarian agencies assist returning refugees.