Disaster Effects in Afghanistan

Afghanistan, a member of World Meteorological Organization (WMO), is classified as the least developed country by the United Nations, has been devastated not only with the long lasting civil war but also by natural disasters. Earthquake and hydro meteorological hazards are the two main natural disasters. It is quite interesting to note that almost half of the death toll was due to hydro meteorological hazards which mainly comprised flash floods/floods, droughts, landslides and mud flows, sand storms, extreme heat and cold, and avalanches.

More than six million people have been affected by drought form 1950 to 2015, while approximately one million three hundred thousand people were affected by floods and flash floods for the same period. On the other hand, floods and flash floods have inflicted much more economical losses than drought during the same period, estimated to be in excess of six hundred million US dollars.