25 May 2009 - Floods and landslides in the five northern provinces of Faryab, Jawzjan, Balkh, Samangan and Sari-i-Pul have caused widespread destruction and casualties.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan (UNOCHA), floods caused by unprecedented heavy rainfall this year across the country have claimed the lives of Afghans and caused considerable damage to property, especially to agricultural land.

In the northern provinces, ninety four people have been killed and 13,689 families have been affected in 207 villages in 38 districts as a result of flooding.

OCHA reports that 5,037 houses have been totally damaged and 3,512 houses partially damaged.

Farm land has also badly suffered. More than 12,300 jeribs (a jerib is 2,000 square metres) have been totally destroyed while 25,586 jeribs of land has been partially damaged.

Twenty three canals have been totally destroyed and 4,546 partially damaged, 112 bridges and 603 kilometres of roads have also been partially damaged.

In the four northeastern provinces of Baghlan, Takhar, Kunduz and Badakhshan thousands of families have suffered as a result of flooding.

In Takhar province 1,354 families have been identified with houses which have been completely destroyed while the houses of 828 families have been partially damaged.

In Kunduz more than 600 families in 123 villages have been affected. More than 29,000 jeribs of agricultural land has been damaged while 60 horticultural farms have been destroyed.

Floods also killed 8,804 cattle in the Ali Abad, Khan Abad and Imam Sahib districts of Kunduz province and villages around Kunduz city.

Efforts led by Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), United Nations agencies, the Afghanistan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) and other non-governmental organizations are underway to assist the flood-victims.

Those affected have received food and humanitarian supplies that include essential shelter supplies, jerry cans, plastic sheets, tents, blankets and kitchen kits.

In addition each affected family has been given cash depending on the extent of the damage to their homes.

Twenty to 25 per cent of the flood affected irrigation infrastructures in Takhar province have been rehabilitated in the last two weeks.

Four million Afghani (US$ 80,000) has been allocated for the rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructures in Kunduz province.

By Homayon Khoram, UNAMA