Natural Disasters Kill 679 People in Afghanistan in One Year
On the occasion of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mohammad Yousuf Hamad, spokesman for the Department of Disaster Management and Preparedness, said that 679 people across Afghanistan were killed and 1,634 others injured over the past year as a result of natural disasters.
According to Hamad, during this period 4,470 homes were completely destroyed and 17,664 others were partially destroyed or damaged. He added that the department had taken the necessary measures to prevent incidents and assist affected families.
October 13 is observed as International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. The aim of the day is to raise public awareness, strengthen preparedness and reduce the vulnerability of communities to disasters and natural events.
The United Nations General Assembly officially recognised the day in the 1990s, and its name was changed in 2009 to the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
