KABUL - Distribution of relief materials for thousands of people in Nangarhar province, who were rendered homeless by a flash flood caused by a pre-dawn rain and storms on Monday, continued today.

The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) and Rural Rehabilitation and Development (RRD) distributed the non-food items to about 250 families in Jalalabad city.

Said Ikbal of ARCS said non-food items were distributed yesterday jointly by ARCS and RRD.

According Mr Ikbal, each of 250 families received two blankets, one tarpaulin, one stove, one kitchen set and 20 litres of water.

“The relief will be distributed to the rest tomorrow,” said Mr Ikbal.

RRD is also distributing relief materials received from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Relief from the other UN agency, World Food Programme (WFP), reached to the flood victims today.

Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) of the international military has given its relief materials to RRD for distribution.

A rapid humanitarian assessment team formed on Monday morning by Deputy Governor of Nangarhar province, Mohamad Alam Ishaqzai, has found that a total of 626 houses have been destroyed across the province, with 523 alone in Jalalabad, the provincial capital. Four people – three children and a woman – lost their lives in the flooding. Seven others are left injured.

Besides causing other damage, the unexpected flood has completely destroyed the main bridge connecting Jalalabad with strategic Torkham town in eastern Afghanistan.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) conducted this afternoon a post-floods situation monitoring in order to get a clear understanding of the level of damaged caused to properties as well as observe the ongoing distribution of humanitarian relief assistance, according to Kenny Rogers, OCHA’s Humanitarian Affairs Officer.

“From what the eyes saw, the level of infrastructural damage to residence is significant as many families are still sitting by their properties in the open air,” said Mr Rogers, warning that numerous pools of stagnant water with children taking bath in them may cause potential health hazard.

“These water pools are potential grounds for mosquitoes to breed which may further lead to malaria outbreaks and other diseases.”

OCHA has observed that the distribution of relief has been centralized to only one location selected as distribution point.

“Lead agencies are yet to release and deliver the relief items from their stores to the distribution sites,” said Mr Rogers. “OCHA is appealing to lead agencies to release relief items in a timely manner especially food and non-food items in order to avoid further suffering of the flood victims.”

By Tilak Pokharel, UNAMA

Website: UN-OCHA in Afghanistan [www.ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan/]