National Disaster Management Authority Reports 61 Dead After Snow and Rain
Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority says 61 people died, 110 were injured and 458 homes were damaged across 15 provinces over three days.
Overview
On Jan. 24, 2026, National Disaster Management Authority spokesman Yousaf Hammad said 61 people died and 110 were injured after three days of heavy snow and rainfall that destroyed 458 homes in 15 provinces.
The losses compound Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis and follow the U.N.'s Jan. 2026 launch of a $1.7 billion appeal to assist nearly 18 million people, U.N. officials said.
UNICEF said 270,000 children displaced by August and November 2025 earthquakes face 'severe risk' of life-threatening cold-related diseases as authorities struggle to reach cut-off villages.
Officials said the storms affected 15 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, destroyed or partially damaged 458 homes and killed hundreds of animals as assessments continue.
Authorities said road-clearing and relief efforts are underway but warned that gaining access to remote communities could take days and that casualty figures may rise as assessments continue.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a chronic humanitarian crisis by foregrounding casualty figures and then contextualizing them with systemic causes—decades of conflict, poor infrastructure, deforestation and climate change. Editorial synthesis and source selection (NDMA, UNICEF, U.N.) highlight structural vulnerability, amplifying a continuity narrative rather than treating the storms as isolated events.
Sources (3)
FAQ
The storms affected 15 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, with specific mentions including Parwan, Kandahar, Ghazni, Kabul, Maidan Wardak, Herat, Khost, Paktia, and others like Balkh, Jowzjan, Faryab, and Bamiyan.
61 people died, 110 were injured, and 458 homes were destroyed or partially damaged, with hundreds of animals also killed.
Road-clearing and relief efforts are underway, but accessing remote communities may take days as assessments continue.
The losses compound Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis, following the U.N.'s $1.7 billion appeal in January 2026 to assist nearly 18 million people, and UNICEF warnings about 270,000 children displaced by 2025 earthquakes facing cold-related diseases.
History
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