135 Killed as Heavy Floods Hit UAE, Afghanistan, and Pakistan

Heavy rains have caused devastation across Afghanistan, with approximately 70 people losing their lives and 56 others injured due to rain between Saturday and Wednesday, according to the government’s disaster management department. The unusually dry winter preceding the spring downpours exacerbated flash-flooding in most provinces, leading to the destruction of over 2,600 houses and 95,000 acres of farmland.

In Pakistan, heavy downpours from Friday to Monday resulted in flash floods and the collapse of houses, claiming the lives of at least 65 people, with the largest death toll reported in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The disaster also caused damage to over 1,300 homes, leading to widespread devastation in affected areas.

Meanwhile, Dubai faced its own challenges as record rains flooded the city’s streets and disrupted airport operations. The flagship Emirates airline cancelled all check-ins as access roads were submerged, and some metro services were suspended. One casualty was reported after a 70-year-old man was swept away in his car in Ras Al-Khaimah, one of the UAE’s emirates, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Climatologists suggest that global warming may have exacerbated the intensity of the storms, emphasizing the urgent need for climate resilience measures in the face of increasingly frequent and severe weather events. Despite efforts to recover operations at Dubai Airport, passengers were urged to avoid unnecessary travel, reflecting the widespread disruption caused by the unprecedented rainfall in the region.