A woman stands next to her house destroyed by flood in Enjil district of Herat province, Afghanistan March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Jalil Ahmad

Thunderstorms, dust storms, strong winds and heavy rain have affected several states in India and Pakistan over the last week, damaging homes and downing trees. Disaster management authorities in the two countries report that over 100 people have lost their lives as a result of the recent severe weather.

In neighbouring Afghanistan, at least 16 people have died in flash floods in Herat and Nangarhar Provinces.

Afghanistan

Disaster management officials in Afghanistan said that heavy rainfall has affected 22 out of the 34 Provinces of Afghanistan over the past few days, causing widespread flooding and the deaths of at least 16 people.

Five deaths were reported after a house collapsed in Herat Province on 16 April. A further 17 people were reported missing following a flood in the Obey District of the province. The districts of Kohsan, Karrokh, Shindand and Guzara were also severely affected.

Further heavy rain in the country caused flooding in eastern Nangarhar Province, where 11 people have died, six are injured and 266 houses were washed away.

The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) reported that it has assisted over 1,000 families affected by the recent rain and flooding in Herat, Parwan, Kapisa, Panjshir, Logar, Farah, Wardak, Daykundi, Badakhshan, Jawzjan Faryab, Badghis, Zabul, Ghazni, Laghman and Kunar.

Herat recorded 155 mm of rain in 24 hours to 16 April. Ghazni recorded 131.9 mm and and Kabul 83 mm during the same period, according to WMO figures.

Pakistan

Over 50 people have lost their lives following heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, a dust storm and flash floods that hit several parts of Pakistan from 13 April, 2019.

According to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 55 people have been killed, 221 people injured and 596 houses have been damaged.

As many as 20 people have died in the province of Punjab, where 121 people have been injured and 491 houses damaged. Eleven deaths were reported in Balochistan, 5 in Sindh and 5 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to NDMA.

The worst of the flooding was reported in parts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disaster Management Authority (PDMA-KP) confirmed that the damages and 5 fatalities were a result of heavy rain between 13 and 17 April. The province had already seen severe weather in April and at least 6 people died during strong winds and heavy rain from 06 to 09 April in the province.

NDMA said it has distributed 2,000 tents and 15,000 plastic mats to flood affected areas of Balochistan.

Jiwani in Balochistan recorded 89 mm of rain in 24 hours to 16 April. Malam Jabba in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 65 mm of rain in 24 hours to 17 April, 2019.

As of 18 April, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that rivers in the province are all at normal levels according to the province’s Irrigation Department.

NDMA’s figures include 14 fatalities in the former Federally Administered Tribal Area (now part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) from severe weather events that occurred from 04 to 17 April, 2019.

India

In India, severe weather including strong winds, dust and thunder storms, lightning strikes and heavy rain, affected several states from around 16 April, 2019, causing casualties and damage to property and crops.

The National Emergency Response Centre of the Disaster Management Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, said that over 50 people had died in the country as a result of lightning and thunder storms between 16 and 17 April, 2019.

Rajasthan was among the worst hit states, with 25 fatalities reported and 17 people injured. Ten fatalities were reported in Gujarat and 14 in Madhya Pradesh. From 04 to 17 April, 14 people also lost their lives in the state of Maharashtra.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the severe weather as “unseasonal rains and storms” and expressed his grief for those who had lost their lives. Via Social Media, the Prime Minister added “The government is doing its best to provide all possible assistance to those affected. The situation is being monitored closely.”

Social Media

Rains in KP, Updated Situation Report@infokpgovt pic.twitter.com/FdwpW9qIIj

— Relief Department KP (@ReliefDepttKP) April 17, 2019

Assistant Commissioner,Hangu along with TMA officials visited various areas of the city to examine the emergency activities during rain. pic.twitter.com/wXK8ubftE1

— PDMAKP OFFICIAL (@pdmakpk) April 17, 2019

@PDMABalochistan carrying out relief activities 24/7 for the flood affected across the province @jam_kamal @MeerLangau @imranzarkon pic.twitter.com/KPWKn8RGMg

— PDMA Balochistan (@PDMABalochistan) April 17, 2019

PM @narendramodi has expressed grief at the loss of lives due to unseasonal rains and storms in MP, Rajasthan, Manipur & various parts of the country. The government is doing its best to provide all possible assistance to those affected. The situation is being monitored closely.

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 17, 2019

Predicted Lightening Hotspots till tomorrow morning as reported by IMD…all concerned to please note & act accordingly ⁦@NDRFHQ⁩ ⁦@ndmaindia⁩ ⁦@PIBHomeAffairs⁩ pic.twitter.com/K4NQBywSM1

— ѕαtчα prαdhαn, dírєctσr gєnєrαl,ndrf (@satyaprad1) April 17, 2019

#Gujarat :10 persons died due to #lightning and #storm in different districts (Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Banaskantha, Morbi, Sabarkantha, Mehsana and Patan).

Source:SEOC Gujarat

— NDMA India (@ndmaindia) April 17, 2019