Disaster-hit people in immediate need of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan: UN

Kabul: As catastrophic floods and earthquakes in several provinces of Afghanistan have affected thousands of people, leaving them in immediate need of humanitarian aid, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday.
According to the UN humanitarian office, a population of over 24 million Afghans is in dire and immediate need of humanitarian aid, Khaama Press reported. Moreover, the Taliban government's acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi previously stated in a press conference that the group is unable to provide for the victims of recent natural disasters on its own and appealed for international aid to ease the miseries of people.
85,000 people have received flood-relief assistance including food, tents, medical attention, water, sanitation, hygiene kits and other essential items, Khaama Press reported citing the OCHA report.
In addition to the 250 people who were killed by the recent floods, over 100,000 Afghans have been harmed by flooding in various regions of the country.
The total number of flood-related fatalities was 147 the previous year, however, a significant increase of 75 per cent in the flood death toll was recorded this year. Almost 23 million Afghan people benefitting from at least one form of humanitarian aid delivered as the UN office's Humanitarian Response Plan for Afghanistan seek to provide relief aid to at least 22.1 million people this year.
"Since 5 July, flash floods have reportedly killed 39 people across five provinces," the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a flood update.
The heavy rains damaged or destroyed around 2,900 houses, a tenfold increase since the last reporting period, and also disrupted livelihoods. Critical civilian infrastructure such as roads and bridges have also been impacted.
Multiple localized assessments and relief operations are ongoing. OCHA said that it continues to coordinate the emergency response on behalf of humanitarian partners in all four regions affected - central, eastern, southern, and south-eastern regions.
Over the past month, about 400 people reportedly have lost their lives due to monsoon rains and flooding in Afghanistan. (ANI)