Flash Floods Ravage Parun: Over 20 Dead, Hundreds Missing

On Monday, a sudden deluge swept through eastern Afghanistan, turning the once‑quiet town of Parun into a scene of chaos and sorrow. The floodwaters, fed by relentless rain, surged through the streets, sweeping away homes, shops and even municipal buildings.

Official figures from the Taliban‑run government confirm at least 20 people have lost their lives and more than 100 are unaccounted for. Over 80 residents are nursing injuries ranging from minor cuts to serious trauma. Among the missing is the mayor of Parun, a stark reminder that no one was spared.

Local NGO leader Ashiqullah Safi, who heads the charitable group Shpoul, described the aftermath as “a municipality completely erased.” He told AFP that volunteers are sifting through rubble with nothing but their hands, searching for bodies and valuables among the broken concrete and scattered boulders.

The Taliban’s meteorology department had already warned that heavy rain would continue to batter ten of Afghanistan’s thirty‑four provinces through Wednesday. Residents were urged to stay away from riverbanks and low‑lying areas, but the warnings came too late for many.

Nuristan, famous for its green peaks, lush forests and crystal‑clear rivers, was declared a national park in 2020. Yet decades of illegal logging and deforestation have stripped the land of its natural sponge, worsening flash‑flood risks. Experts say the loss of tree cover means rain can’t soak into the soil, so water rushes straight into towns.

This tragedy comes on the heels of an even deadlier flood in April that swept through northern Afghanistan, killing at least 150 people according to local media and more than 300 according to the World Food Programme. Climate change, already making the country one of the most vulnerable in the world, is amplifying the frequency and ferocity of such disasters.

As rescue teams scramble to locate the missing and provide aid, the broader picture remains grim: Afghanistan, still reeling from decades of war and poverty, now faces a climate‑driven humanitarian crisis that threatens to overwhelm an already fragile system.