Afghanistan Flood 2026 - DREF Operation (MDRAF021)

Country: Afghanistan Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. Description of the Event Date of event 30-03-2026 What happened, where and when? Beginning on 26 March 2026, heavy and sustained rainfall triggered devastating flash floods across multiple regions of Afghanistan. The flooding continued through early April 2026, with meteorological forecasts indicating persistent rainfall patterns throughout the period. These weather conditions followed an already challenging winter and coincided with the spring thaw season, when snowmelt from mountainous areas compounded rainfall-driven flooding in low-lying regions, creating particularly hazardous conditions for riverine and valley communities. The floods affected communities across 22 provinces spanning all major regions of the country, including Kabul, Parwan, Kapisa, and Logar in the central region; Daikundi in the central highlands; Laghman and Nangarhar in the east; Balkh, Faryab, Jowzjan, Samangan, Saripol, and Takhar in the north; Baghlan in the northeast; Helmand and Uruzgan in the south; Nimroz in the southwest; Badghis, Ghor, and Herat in the west; and Ghazni and Paktika in the southeast. The nationwide scale of the disaster stretched ARCS response capacity across all 34 provincial branches simultaneously and significantly complicated coordination efforts. It was against this rapidly evolving situation that 30 March 2026 was identified as the trigger date for this DREF, based on three converging factors: ARCS field reports confirming a sharp and sustained increase in the number of affected families as previously inaccessible communities began reporting damage; ARCS formally requesting international support after exhausting initial response capacity; and meteorological forecasts confirming that continued rainfall and snowmelt would further compound flood risks, making clear the situation was likely to deteriorate rather than stabilize.
2026-04-13 00:13:48