KABUL: More than half a million people in Afghanistan were displaced due to climate disasters in 2024, the International Organization for Migration said in a country report published on Tuesday.
“Nearly 9 million individuals were impacted by climate hazards in the last 12 months, with over 500,000 displaced by floods, drought, and other disasters,” according to the IOM report.
“Roughly three in five of those displaced relocated elsewhere within their province of origin,” with the western Herat and Farah provinces among the hardest hit, it said.
This week, 39 people were killed due to floods, hail and storms in southwestern Afghanistan, mainly in Farah, according to local authorities.
Afghanistan is among the poorest countries in the world after decades of war and is ranked the sixth most vulnerable to climate change, which is spurring extreme weather.
Drought, floods, land degradation and declining agricultural productivity are key threats, according to the United Nations.
Flash floods last May killed hundreds and swamped swaths of agricultural land in Afghanistan, where 80 percent of people depend on farming to survive.
“Over 11 million people in Afghanistan are at high risk of severe impacts from climate-induced disasters in the future,” the IOM said.
The UN agency estimates that “climate-sensitive livelihoods, like subsistence farming, make up 73 percent of jobs in Afghanistan.”
It added that “92 percent of villages have limited access to emergency services” and “96 percent lack resources for crucial measures like early warning systems and search and rescue.”
![]()
Over 500,000 Afghans displaced due to climate disasters in 2024: IOM
Short Url
https://arab.news/mr39b
Over 500,000 Afghans displaced due to climate disasters in 2024: IOM
- “Nearly 9 million individuals were impacted by climate hazards in the last 12 months,” according to the IOM report
- “Roughly three in five of those displaced relocated elsewhere within their province of origin“
Ice-cool Rybakina beats Sabalenka in tense Australian Open final
- The big-serving Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve to pull through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
- Rybakina who was born in Moscow, adds her Melbourne triumph to her Wimbledon win in 2022
MELBOURNE: Elena Rybakina took revenge over world number one Aryna Sabalenka to win a nail-biting Australian Open final on Saturday and clinch her second Grand Slam title.
The big-serving Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve to pull through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in 2hrs 18mins.
It was payback after the Belarusian Sabalenka won the 2023 final between two of the hardest hitters in women’s tennis.
The ice-cool Rybakina, 26, who was born in Moscow, adds her Melbourne triumph to her Wimbledon win in 2022.
“Hard to find the words now,” said Rybakina, and then addressed her beaten opponent to add: “I know it is tough, but I hope we play many more finals together.”
Turning to some Kazakh fans in the crowd, she said: “Thank you so much to Kazakhstan. I felt the support from that corner a lot.”
It was more disappointment in a major final for Sabalenka, who won the US Open last year for the second time but lost the French Open and Melbourne title deciders.
She was into her fourth Australian Open final in a row and had been imperious until now, with tears in her eyes at the end.
“Let’s hope maybe next year will be a better year for me,” Sabalenka said ruefully.
Rybakina fights back
With the roof on because of drizzle in Melbourne, Rybakina immediately broke serve and then comfortably held for 2-0.
Rybakina faced two break points at 4-3, but found her range with her serve to send down an ace and dig herself out of trouble, leaving Sabalenka visibly frustrated.
Rybakina looked in the zone and wrapped up the set in 37 minutes on her first set point when Sabalenka fired long.
Incredibly, it was the first set Sabalenka had dropped in 2026.
The second game of the second set was tense, Rybakina saving three break points in a 10-minute arm-wrestle.
They went with serve and the seventh game was another tussle, Sabalenka holding for 4-3 after the best rally of a cagey affair.
The tension ratcheted up and the top seed quickly forged three set points at 5-4 on the Kazakh’s serve, ruthlessly levelling the match at the first chance to force a deciding set.
Sabalenka was now in the ascendancy and smacked a scorching backhand to break for a 2-0 lead, then holding for 3-0.
Rybakina, who also had not dropped a set in reaching the final, looked unusually rattled.
She reset to hold, then wrestled back the break, allowing herself the merest of smiles.
At 3-3 the title threatened to swing either way.
But a surging Rybakina won a fourth game in a row to break for 4-3, then held to put a thrilling victory within sight.
Rybakina sealed the championship with her sixth ace of the match.
The finalists were familiar foes having met 14 times previously, with Sabalenka winning eight of them.
Sabalenka came into the final as favorite but Rybakina has been one of the form players on the women’s tour in recent months.
She also defeated Sabalenka in the decider at the season-ending WTA Finals.
Rybakina beat second seed Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals and sixth seed Jessica Pegula in the last four in Melbourne.
Rybakina switched to play under the Kazakh flag in 2018 when she was a little-known 19-year-old, citing financial reasons.
The big-serving Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve to pull through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in 2hrs 18mins.
It was payback after the Belarusian Sabalenka won the 2023 final between two of the hardest hitters in women’s tennis.
The ice-cool Rybakina, 26, who was born in Moscow, adds her Melbourne triumph to her Wimbledon win in 2022.
“Hard to find the words now,” said Rybakina, and then addressed her beaten opponent to add: “I know it is tough, but I hope we play many more finals together.”
Turning to some Kazakh fans in the crowd, she said: “Thank you so much to Kazakhstan. I felt the support from that corner a lot.”
It was more disappointment in a major final for Sabalenka, who won the US Open last year for the second time but lost the French Open and Melbourne title deciders.
She was into her fourth Australian Open final in a row and had been imperious until now, with tears in her eyes at the end.
“Let’s hope maybe next year will be a better year for me,” Sabalenka said ruefully.
Rybakina fights back
With the roof on because of drizzle in Melbourne, Rybakina immediately broke serve and then comfortably held for 2-0.
Rybakina faced two break points at 4-3, but found her range with her serve to send down an ace and dig herself out of trouble, leaving Sabalenka visibly frustrated.
Rybakina looked in the zone and wrapped up the set in 37 minutes on her first set point when Sabalenka fired long.
Incredibly, it was the first set Sabalenka had dropped in 2026.
The second game of the second set was tense, Rybakina saving three break points in a 10-minute arm-wrestle.
They went with serve and the seventh game was another tussle, Sabalenka holding for 4-3 after the best rally of a cagey affair.
The tension ratcheted up and the top seed quickly forged three set points at 5-4 on the Kazakh’s serve, ruthlessly levelling the match at the first chance to force a deciding set.
Sabalenka was now in the ascendancy and smacked a scorching backhand to break for a 2-0 lead, then holding for 3-0.
Rybakina, who also had not dropped a set in reaching the final, looked unusually rattled.
She reset to hold, then wrestled back the break, allowing herself the merest of smiles.
At 3-3 the title threatened to swing either way.
But a surging Rybakina won a fourth game in a row to break for 4-3, then held to put a thrilling victory within sight.
Rybakina sealed the championship with her sixth ace of the match.
The finalists were familiar foes having met 14 times previously, with Sabalenka winning eight of them.
Sabalenka came into the final as favorite but Rybakina has been one of the form players on the women’s tour in recent months.
She also defeated Sabalenka in the decider at the season-ending WTA Finals.
Rybakina beat second seed Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals and sixth seed Jessica Pegula in the last four in Melbourne.
Rybakina switched to play under the Kazakh flag in 2018 when she was a little-known 19-year-old, citing financial reasons.
Latest updates
© 2026 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.