Afghanistan: Flash Floods Kill at Least 120

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Above: Afghans navigate flooded roads after heavy snowfall raises water levels in Kabul, Afghanistan, on January 14, 2022. Image copyright: Scott Peterson/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

  • At least 120 people died between Friday and Saturday from flash flooding in Afghanistan's northern province of Faryab and the western province of Ghor.

  • The death toll in Faryab was raised from 18 to 84 as heavy rains hit four of its districts on Saturday, damaging about 1.5K houses and swamping hundreds of acres of agricultural lands.

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The Spin

Narrative A

It's no wonder that Afghanistan has recently been hit with a spate of deadly floods. Instead of taking steps to mitigate risks, reactionary Taliban-appointed rulers have sought to normalize natural disasters. These rules have fostered a culture saying deadly events like these are out of their control.

Hasht

Narrative B

Whether the international community is right or not to impose sanctions on the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the world has a moral imperative to help Afghans and support climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in the country. Otherwise, Afghanistan's citizens will remain vulnerable to these tragedies.

Foreign Policy

Metaculus Prediction