
Kabul [Afghanistan], July 19 (ANI): Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, is facing one of the most severe water crises in its history, with millions of residents enduring acute shortages, Tolo News reported.
Water levels in several central and western districts of the city have dropped dramatically, disrupting daily life and drawing urgent concern from humanitarian agencies.
“Everything depends on water. Without it, life becomes extremely difficult. If these petrol stations stop giving water, people will die of hunger and thirst,” said Mohammad Agha, a Kabul resident.
Another resident, Najibullah, described the desperation gripping local families. “Children and women wander day and night with buckets, but there’s no water. A woman came and said she hadn’t even performed ablution today because there’s not enough water for that,” he told Tolo News.
According to a report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), nearly six million people in Kabul are now at risk due to the dramatic decline in water availability.
The UN agency described the situation as “unprecedented” and called for significant investment, improved coordination, and increased public awareness of water use and management.
As the crisis deepens, many residents have appealed to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to take immediate action by expanding water supply infrastructure and drilling deeper wells.
“If these petrol stations don’t give us water, no one else will. Our children go to the neighbors, but they get beaten and told they won’t be given water. We ask the Islamic Emirate to drill wells for us so we can have our own water and access it day and night,” said another resident, Mohammad Naseem, speaking to Tolo News.
Despite growing pleas, officials of the Islamic Emirate have yet to take meaningful steps to address the worsening crisis. While authorities have repeatedly assured residents that solutions are forthcoming, people told Tolo News that conditions on the ground remain unchanged. (ANI)