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Floods in Afghanistan - at least 70 dead

Around 70 people have died after heavy downpours caused floods in Afghanistan, reports AFP.

In addition to the deaths, 56 people have been injured, more than 2,600 houses have been damaged or destroyed and nearly 40,000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed, the local disaster agency said.

The winter in Afghanistan has been unusually dry, which means that the country is unusually vulnerable to so-called flash floods, i.e. sudden floods. Both the drought and the heavy downpours are linked to climate change.

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Countries particularly vulnerable to extreme weather

At least 135 people have died after heavy downpours hit Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, reports AFP.

The region experiences heavy downpours annually during the monsoon season, but it usually lasts between June and September. That the downpours come so early is linked to climate change.

The UN warned last year that the region may be particularly exposed to the effects of climate change and then pointed to strong fluctuations between extreme weather conditions.

The countries are seen by scientists as particularly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, despite the fact that they account for less than one percent of global emissions, writes CNN.