This week, South Asian countries have been severely hit by strong monsoon rains. Floods in the northeastern parts of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have resulted in at least 80 deaths and numerous people missing. The floods have caused widespread destruction to houses, farmlands, roads, and infrastructures, with ongoing rescue efforts.
In the past 24 to 72 hours, the flood situation in Assam, India, has been dire, with at least 21 new casualties recorded in a single day, bringing the total death toll in the state to over 31 people.
The Assam State Disaster Management Department reported that over 560,000 people have been affected in 16 districts, with 872 villages still submerged, particularly severely impacted areas include Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Charaideo.
Authorities stated that the floods were mainly caused by heavy rainfall in the upstream state of Nagaland from July 18 to 20, leading to abnormally high water levels in the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries.
Additionally, in the Indian-controlled regions of Jammu & Kashmir, areas like Poonch and Rajouri have witnessed at least 15 to 20 fatalities over the weekend and into the beginning of the week due to flash floods and landslides, with several people reported missing. Rescue teams are braving the rain to search for those buried under mud and rocks.
Apart from India, in eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, catastrophic flooding on July 20 has caused severe damage to the provincial capital, Parun, and surrounding areas.
Reports from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Taliban authorities indicated that as of July 22, the floods in eastern Afghanistan have resulted in casualties numbering in the hundreds, with over 100 people reported missing. The floods have destroyed homes, shops, hotels, and water supply systems, as well as causing significant damage to farmlands and infrastructure.
Rescue operations have been hampered by ongoing rainfall, with local residents describing the situation as “everything being washed away, a complete disaster.”
Pakistan has also been affected by monsoon rains across the country, with the latest comprehensive statistics from the end of June to July 22 stating that at least 47 people have died and 123 have been injured.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, house collapses due to flash floods have led to 29 deaths and 45 injuries, while Punjab province recorded 10 deaths and 65 injuries, with severe waterlogging in many low-lying areas.
Authorities continue to issue flood warnings for river streams, intensifying evacuations of residents, with the alert level maintained until July 24, and rescue and drainage operations ongoing.