HALO provides flash flood relief in Surobi District

Surobi is a large district located 80km east of Kabul on the main highway to the eastern provinces and the border with Pakistan. Surobi is an important district where three large hydroelectric dams are located, (Mahipar, Naghlo and Suobi), built in the 1960s to provide a portion of power to Kabul.

On 3 August, heavy rains brought flash floods and high levels of water to 17 villages in Surobi District which were badly affected - Kase hussainkhail, Sar Cheney, Loy Kalay, Mirza Khane/Mirza Khane Safla, Labe Darya, Sharak (center town), Kasoona De Sendna Pora Ghara, Aheengaran, Dreesare, Doobi Kalay, Hootkhail, Khawaja Se Baba, Teezen, Sar Cheney Teemor, Arab Khail, Hussain Khail, and Asef Khail. Overall, 519 families suffered losses - 30 people are confirmed dead, two injured and 22 people are still missing; 458 houses were completely destroyed, 44 houses were severely damaged and 17 houses were moderately damaged. There is a significant amount of agriculture damage. According to IOM (International Organization for Migration), 500 to 700 Jeribs (2,000 sqm is one Jerib of land) of agriculture land was destroyed in each village, with all village water wells reported to be contaminated.

The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) and Office of the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) called on their partners to take part in flood relief efforts. One of the key priorities was to open access to flood-affected communities and to the main hospital blocked by debris and collapsed buildings. The HALO Trust provided heavy plant immediately to remove debris from around key infrastructure and from access roads. HALO managed to reopen access to the main hospital in Surobi town and to the houses of those people stranded in the flood affected areas. In addition HALO provided trucks to other NGOs for moving foodstuffs, potable water and tents with kitchen kits and other households needed for affected communities. Flood relief operations have been coordinated by ANDMA and UNOCHA in conjunction with the Ministry of Economy.

Over the last two decades HALO Afghanistan has used its fleet of medium wheeled loaders (Case, Volvo, Terex) on a number of occasions to provide first response humanitarian support for avalanche clearance and earthquake relief.

August 2013