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Mother and six children die as heavy rain leads to house collapse in Afghanistan

Jan 29, 2026, 2:58 PM10
(Update: Jan 29, 2026, 2:58 PM)
country in Central and South Asia

Mother and six children die as heavy rain leads to house collapse in Afghanistan

  • Heavy rain in eastern Afghanistan caused a family's home to collapse while they were sleeping.
  • A mother and her six children died in the incident, while their father was injured and hospitalized.
  • The tragedy highlights the ongoing vulnerability of Afghanistan to extreme weather and inadequate infrastructure.
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Story

In eastern Afghanistan, a tragic incident unfolded when heavy rains persisted from late Monday to Wednesday morning, leading to the collapse of a family's home. The catastrophe occurred while the family was asleep, causing the deaths of a mother and her six children, aged between four and fifteen. Reports indicate that the children's father was injured in the collapse and required medical attention at a local hospital. Emergency responders were able to retrieve the bodies from the rubble soon after the incident. The local police spokesperson, Said Tayeb Hammad, confirmed the details and described how the rain had previously damaged the family's home. This incident is part of a broader pattern of extreme weather events affecting Afghanistan, where heavy precipitation and snowfall have claimed numerous lives in recent days. Just days before this incident, Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority reported that extreme weather had resulted in at least 61 fatalities and more than 100 injuries across the nation. Many homes have suffered considerable damage, with some completely destroyed. The vulnerabilities of Afghanistan's infrastructure, which include inadequate housing and preparation for such severe weather conditions, further exacerbate the situation. The impacts of such disasters are notably severe in Afghanistan due to a combination of ongoing conflict, economic struggles, and the effects of climate change. Many homes are constructed from mud, which offers limited protection against rapid and intense weather changes such as flash floods or heavy snowfall. In previous years, this vulnerability has led to hundreds of casualties during spring flooding events, illustrating the country's ongoing crises exacerbated by climate factors. The anguish of families affected by such incidents is unfathomable, as illustrated by the story of this particular family. Witnesses described hearing a sudden loud noise before rushing to the scene, indicating how quickly disaster can strike when least expected. The situation raises urgent questions about disaster preparedness in regions highly susceptible to climate-related disruptions. As Afghanistan grapples with its mounting challenges, this heartbreaking event serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of climate change and the urgent need for better infrastructure and response mechanisms to protect vulnerable communities.

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