Local sources in Ghor have informed Afghanistan International that recent flooding has placed the 800-year-old Minaret of Jam at risk. Reportedly, heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday has submerged the surroundings of this historical minaret.

Photographs from the recent floods depict that the waters have inundated the protected vicinity of this Afghan architectural gem. It is reported that the water level reached up to ten metres near the 64-metre-high minaret.

Erected in the late 12th century adorned with Quranic verses on baked bricks, the Minaret of Jam is a recognised masterpiece of the Ghorid civilisation and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002. Nevertheless, inadequate maintenance over the past two decades has repeatedly triggered alerts about the potential collapse of the structure.

Flood Damage and Casualties in Ghor

Taliban officials in Ghor have disclosed that the latest floods have resulted in at least 50 fatalities within the area. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported that thousands of homes were obliterated by the floods last Friday in Ghor, situated in central Afghanistan.

UNICEF has also noted that approximately 20,000 individuals in northern Afghanistan have been rendered homeless by the recent floods. The organisation is actively supporting the affected, particularly children, who are suffering severe adversities.

The United Nations recognises Afghanistan as one of the nations most susceptible to the impacts of climate change globally.

Per the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index, which assesses countries based on their vulnerability and readiness for climate change, Afghanistan ranks as the sixth most vulnerable and least prepared country in the world to handle the effects of climate change.