Disasters & Incidents
Rain slows search for missing after deadly Nuristan flood
Heavy rain hampered the search on Tuesday for dozens of people missing after flooding in eastern Afghanistan's Nuristan province killed at least 23 people, officials said.
Around 100 people remained unaccounted for, according to the national disaster agency and the provincial governor's office. The flood hit Parun, the provincial capital, on Monday.
An AFP journalist in Parun heard two distant gunshots that residents said had been fired upstream to warn of more incoming flooding. Rescuers worked in heavy rain, using their hands and wooden poles to look through debris. A bulldozer was being used, but was of limited help in clearing the large amount of wreckage.
The Nuristan governor's office said Parun Mayor Sayed Ahmad Arhabi was among those killed. Governor Zain-ul-Abidin Abid described the flood as a serious tragedy and said authorities intended to recover all bodies by Tuesday evening.
Farid Gul Zaheer, a 34-year-old pharmacist, said he was injured while fleeing up a mountain. He said he had lost everything and that residents were traumatised after the night of flooding.
Zakirullah Zaki, manager of the Spogmai Hotel, said hotels, markets and shops had been destroyed. His own hotel was still standing, and his missing younger brother was found.
Juma Khan Nayel, communications chief for the Afghan Red Crescent Society, said water levels had reached an unprecedented height. He said the organisation had sent dozens of volunteers who were working with shovels and by hand, and was urgently providing food, water and tents to people whose homes had been destroyed.
Afghanistan's defence ministry said the military had also been sent to the area to help relief efforts. The United Nations said it was assessing the disaster.
Further rain and storms were forecast in several provinces, including Nuristan, and police in Parun warned people to stay away from the river.
The weather also affected neighbouring Pakistan, where Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's provincial disaster agency said 12 people had been killed. More than 200 people were killed by flooding and rain in Afghanistan and Pakistan between March and April.
Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to climate change, and flooding has increased, according to the head of the country's environmental protection agency. Mawlavi Mati-ul-Haq Khalis said this month that environmental problems had severely affected Afghans and contributed to a humanitarian crisis.
Update
Heavy rain and warnings of further flooding hampered the search in Parun on Tuesday.
People upstream fired gunshots as warnings of more incoming flooding.
Rescuers were working by hand and with wooden poles, while a bulldozer was of limited use because of debris.
Parun Mayor Sayed Ahmad Arhabi was among those killed, according to the Nuristan governor's office.
The Afghan Red Crescent Society said it had deployed dozens of volunteers and was supplying food, water and tents.
Afghanistan's defence ministry said the military had been deployed to support relief work, and the United Nations said it was assessing the disaster.
Police in Parun warned people to stay away from the river as more rain and storms were forecast.
Authorities in neighbouring Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province reported 12 deaths from weather impacts.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 12:35:55 UTC.
Update
The reported death toll rose to at least 23 people.
Around 100 people were reported unaccounted for by the national disaster agency and the provincial governor's office.
Rescuers were struggling to reach people trapped under mud and boulders in Parun.
Residents were searching by hand and with wooden poles, while a bulldozer was of limited use in clearing debris.
The flood buried multiple shops and pushed large boulders into buildings.
The Afghan Red Crescent Society said it had deployed dozens of volunteers and was providing food, water and tents.
Afghanistan's defence ministry said the military had been sent to support relief work, and the United Nations said it was assessing the disaster.
Flooding and rain also affected neighbouring Pakistan, where Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's disaster agency said 12 people were killed.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 08:03:41 UTC.
Update
Afghanistan's disaster agency ANDMA said 20 bodies had been recovered and more than 80 people were injured.
ANDMA said casualties were reported in Parun and other areas of Nuristan.
The governor's office said the mayor of Parun and government employees were among those missing.
An NGO head in Parun said the flood destroyed the municipality, hotels and dozens of shops.
The head of Afghanistan's environmental protection agency said this month that flooding in the country had increased and that environmental problems had contributed to a humanitarian crisis.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 16:50:49 UTC.
Update
The missing include Parun's town mayor and government employees, according to the Nuristan governor's spokesman.
An NGO head said the flood completely destroyed the municipality, hotels and dozens of shops.
Residents were searching without equipment after floodwaters left large boulders in the town.
Afghanistan's disaster agency said rescue and body-recovery efforts were underway.
Afghanistan's government spokesman confirmed deaths and property damage in Nuristan province.
The head of Afghanistan's environmental protection agency said flooding in the country had increased and environmental problems had contributed to a humanitarian crisis.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 16:20:52 UTC.
Update
The flood hit Parun, the capital of Afghanistan's Nuristan province.
Nine bodies had been recovered, according to the Nuristan governor's spokesman.
The spokesman was named as Feraidon Samim.
The missing include the town mayor and government employees.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 16:05:32 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The number of missing people was reported as around 100 and may change as searches continue.
Further flooding was possible because more rain and storms were forecast.
Source
AFP news report published on .