KABUL: Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) has issued a warning of an intense heatwave expected to affect several provinces across the country, with temperatures forecast to exceed 45°C (113°F) in some northern and western areas from Saturday through Wednesday.
According to the agency, the provinces expected to be most affected include Balkh and Jawzjan in the north, Farah and Nimroz in the west, and Helmand in the southwest.
“The residents in the affected provinces should follow safety recommendations, avoid unnecessary exposure to extreme heat, and take appropriate precautions to reduce the health risks associated with high temperatures,” ANDMA said.
This warning comes at a time when Afghanistan, despite its small share in greenhouse gas emissions, has been among the countries most affected by the consequences of climate change in recent years. Increasing heat waves, successive droughts, and flash floods in recent years have repeatedly affected the lives and livelihoods of citizens in different regions of the country.