Afghanistan’s National Disaster Preparedness Authority has released updated preliminary figures showing that 23 people have been killed, 80 injured and nearly 100 remain missing following devastating flash floods in Parun, the capital of Nuristan province on Monday.

Taj Mohammad Hemat, deputy spokesperson for the authority, said 15 bodies have so far been recovered, while search and rescue teams continue operations in the affected areas.

According to officials, the floods completely destroyed seven houses and partially damaged 23 others. The disaster also destroyed 70 shops, 40 vehicles and 11 hotels, either completely or partially.

Authorities stressed that the figures remain preliminary and are expected to change as rescue efforts and damage assessments continue.

Emergency teams are still working to locate missing people and deliver assistance to affected families.

Flash floods have caused widespread devastation in Parun, the capital of Afghanistan’s eastern Nuristan province, with authorities reporting a sharp rise in casualties as search and rescue operations continue.

According to Afghanistan’s National Disaster Preparedness Authority, preliminary figures show that 20 people have been killed, around 80 injured and more than 100 remain missing after powerful floods swept through the city on Monday afternoon.

Mohammad Yousuf Hamad, spokesperson for the authority, said the casualty figures are preliminary and could change as emergency teams continue searching for survivors and those still missing.

Earlier, local officials reported that the floods struck Parun at around 3:00pm, damaging the municipality building, several hotels, telecommunications offices, parks, bridges and dozens of residential homes.

Faridun Samim, spokesperson for the Nuristan governor, said the flooding caused extensive destruction across the provincial capital, with financial losses estimated at around $35 million.

The Islamic Emirate has expressed condolences to the families of the victims and pledged assistance to those affected, while rescue teams remain on the ground to support ongoing relief efforts.

Human Rights Watch has warned that millions of Afghans face worsening food insecurity as international aid declines and restrictions imposed by the Islamic Emirate continue to hamper humanitarian operations.

The organisation said falling donor support and limits on women’s participation in aid work are making it increasingly difficult for relief agencies to reach vulnerable communities.

According to the United Nations, 46 percent of Afghanistan’s population will require humanitarian assistance in 2026, with more than 17 million people expected to face food insecurity. By April, only one in five households had enough food without humanitarian assistance.

The humanitarian response also faces a severe funding shortfall. By the end of May, the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan had received just US$269 million of the US$1.71 billion required, leaving a funding gap of US$1.44 billion.

Humanitarian agencies say the lack of funding has forced them to scale back programmes despite rising needs.

Human Rights Watch said restrictions on women working for the United Nations and international aid organisations, together with local rules limiting contact between male aid workers and female beneficiaries, have further complicated relief efforts, particularly for women-headed households.

The humanitarian situation has also been worsened by the return of nearly six million Afghans from neighbouring Iran and Pakistan since late 2023, placing additional pressure on already stretched services.

Aid agencies warned that millions could lose access to life-saving assistance without urgent donor support. They also called on the Islamic Emirate to ease restrictions affecting humanitarian operations.