An estimated 6.5 million children in Afghanistan – or nearly three out of ten – will face crisis or emergency levels of hunger this year as the country feels the immediate impacts of floods, the long term effects of drought and the return of Afghans from Pakistan and Iran, said Save the Children in a statement this week.

New figures forecast that 28% of the population – or about 12.4 million people – will face acute food insecurity before October. Of those, nearly 2.4 million are predicted to experience emergency levels of hunger, which is one level below famine.

The figures show a slight improvement from the last report in October 2023, but underline the continuing need for assistance, with poverty affecting one in two Afghans.

Torrential rain and flash floods this month in Northern Afghanistan have killed more than 400 people, destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and turned farmland to mud.

Children in the flood hit areas have limited access to clean water, with some reporting stomach problems, Save the Children said.

In addition, an estimated 2.9 million children under the age of five are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2024.

Dr Nawid who works for a Save the Children health team in Northern Afghanistan said: “These people face financial problems. From an agricultural standpoint, they have land but don’t have water or adequate land for farming – they are jobless. These things affect children.

“When children are affected, they may not be able to go to school or may become busy working to find food for their homes. They become deprived of their rights or become ill and malnourished. All these problems are affecting children.”

The slight improvement in the numbers of children expected to experience acute hunger is linked to widespread humanitarian assistance and a projected improved harvest, among other factors – but food aid will decline this year due to funding cuts.