Millions at Risk as Cold Wave Threatens Vulnerable Afghan Communities: WFP and REACH
Nearly 3.5 million people across Afghanistan are facing the highest level of risk from cold waves this winter, according to a joint report by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the humanitarian organization REACH.
The report identifies approximately 289 communities—home to around 3,483,999 individuals—as living in areas of extreme vulnerability to cold temperatures. An additional 555 communities have been classified as high risk, with 782 communities falling into the moderate risk category.
The areas most severely affected are located in Afghanistan’s Northeastern, Central Highland, and Western regions, where communities are exposed to persistently low temperatures and have limited capacity to cope. Badakhshan and Ghor provinces hold the highest concentration of communities designated at the highest risk.
WFP and REACH attribute this widespread vulnerability to a combination of factors, including fragile livelihoods, lack of adequate livestock shelter, limited road access, and harsh geographic conditions. These factors, combined with the natural hazard of cold waves, significantly undermine community resilience.
The report underscores the urgent need for humanitarian assistance to help at-risk populations survive the harsh winter months ahead.
