Nangarhar province, including the capital Jalalabad, is said to be the worst hit. This province also suffered devastating floods in April. Other affected provinces include Badakhshan, Kunar, Laghman and Nuristan.
At the daily press conference in New York, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said a reception center at the Torkham border crossing in Nangarhar, a key entry point for people returning from Pakistan, had been badly hit by the storm.
“While the assessments are still ongoing, our humanitarian partners deployed nine mobile health and nutrition teams, while our health partners delivered medical supplies to Nangahar Regional Hospital and Fatima Zuhra Hospital.”
Urgent needs
According to to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities and 400 tents in a nearby camp were damaged or destroyed.
Initial reports indicate that affected households are in urgent need of food, shelter, health care and WASH services. Forty people were reportedly killed and more than 340 injured.
Protection and health risks are exacerbated by the fact that many flood-affected families are sheltering outside their destroyed or damaged homes. There is also an urgent need for mental health and psychosocial support services for the most affected families.
Dangers of unexploded ordnance
UN refugee agency, UN refugee agency, reported There are fears that some areas affected by the floods may be contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXOs) or mines, posing a serious risk to civilians.
It was also reported that most families have lost their source of income, which is likely to make them even more vulnerable. Women and girls reported feeling unsafe at water points, latrines, firewood collection areas and open spaces without shelter.
Resources are missing
Mr Dujarric also stressed the urgent need for additional funding to support those affected.
“So far we have received about $720 million, which is less than a quarter of what we need for the $3 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan this year,” he said.
