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.

Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall have caused extensive property damage in Mandol district of Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, local officials said.

Faridun Samim, spokesperson for the Nuristan governor, said the flooding struck several villages, including Bandol, Anish, Askando, Mangor, Janakhel, Shakarnal, Naalo and Atararah on Sunday evening.

The floods damaged six homes, an electricity network, a watermill, sections of the main road, as well as farmland and orchards, authorities said.

No casualties were reported, but officials described the financial losses as significant. The provincial administration has appealed to humanitarian organisations and relevant agencies to provide urgent assistance to affected families.