The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that more than 223,000 people have been affected by natural disasters over the past several months.  

“Over 85,000 people (one third of the total) were affected by earthquakes in Paktika and Khost in June, while over 78,800 people were affected by flooding in the south and east of the country bordering Pakistan in July and August,”

OCHA said in a report. “Many natural disaster-affected households lost homes, assets, and livestock, with worst-affected poor households likely in need of emergency humanitarian food assistance to prevent food consumption gaps and Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes.” 

This comes as farmers expressed concern over losses that they suffered due to recent flash floods across Afghanistan.  

Farmers said that they suffered heavy financial losses as their harvests were hit by the floods.

“The floods affected our gardens and harvests. It was potato season but the floods affected it,” said Ghulam Sakhi, a farmer.

“The floods that flowed hit the residences and agriculture lands,” said Salam Jan, a farmer.

This comes as some of the residents of Paktika who lost their houses as a result of the devastating earthquake complained that they still lack shelter with winter coming.

“The winter is at the corner. We call on the government: the people of Khatawi village are in a bad condition,” said Fazal Haq, a resident of Paktika.

“The aid which has been distributed is not enough and there should be further aid,” said Khan Mohammad, a resident of Paktika.

OCHA in an earlier report said that more than 24 million people are facing food insecurity in Afghanistan.