By George George Idowu
Over the past five days, heavy rainfall has wreaked havoc in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Dubai, resulting in the tragic loss of 135 lives and leaving several others injured.
This unfortunate incident was confirmed by Janan Sayeq, the spokesperson for Afghanistan’s disaster management department on Wednesday.
Sayeq revealed that approximately 70 individuals lost their lives between Saturday and Wednesday due to the relentless rains.
Additionally, 56 others sustained injuries, while over 2,600 homes were damaged or destroyed, and an estimated 95,000 acres of farmland were devastated.
He said most of the fatalities are attributed to roof collapses triggered by the torrential downpours, illustrating the severe impact of the flooding on communities in the affected regions.
In response to heavy downpour, Dubai’s prominent Emirates airline was compelled to suspend all check-ins on Wednesday.
The situation on the ground was dire, with access roads flooded and certain metro services suspended as staff and passengers grappled with transportation challenges.
This calamitous event underscores the warnings issued by the United Nations last year regarding Afghanistan’s susceptibility to extreme weather conditions.
After enduring four decades of conflict, Afghanistan finds itself among the least equipped nations to confront these escalating weather crises, exacerbated by the effects of climate change.
Earlier this year, eastern Afghanistan witnessed a devastating landslide following heavy snowfall in February, claiming 25 lives. Subsequently, around 60 individuals perished during a three-week period of intense precipitation ending in March.
In neighboring Pakistan, heavy rains between Friday and Monday triggered flash floods and structural collapses, resulting in at least 28 fatalities attributed to lightning strikes and collapsing homes.
The hardest-hit area was northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where 32 individuals lost their lives, including 15 children.
More than 1,300 homes were damaged in this region alone, according to Anwar Khan, spokesperson for the province’s disaster management authority.
Meanwhile, Dubai’s infrastructure was severely impacted by unprecedented rainfall, causing massive traffic congestion on major highways and disrupting operations at the world’s busiest international airport.
The catastrophic events unfolding across these regions have raised concerns among experts like climatologist Friederike Otto, who emphasized the probable role of climate change in exacerbating these extreme weather events.
The unprecedented nature of these storms highlights the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address climate resilience and disaster preparedness in vulnerable regions around the world.