Flash floods in northern Afghanistan kill at least 50, damage homes

May 11, 2024 by No Comments

Flash floods from seasonal rains in Baghlan province killed at least 50 people on Friday, according to a Taliban official. The floods also caused losses to homes and property in several districts, Edayatullah Hamdard, the provincial director of Natural Disaster Management in Baghlan, said. He noted that the death toll was preliminary and that it “might rise as many people are missing.” The floods also hit the capital, Kabul, Abdullah Janan Saiq, the Taliban’s spokesman for the State Ministry for Natural Disaster Management, said. He said that rescue teams bringing food and other aid have been dispatched to the affected areas. Saiq said that the rescue operation is the main focus of authorities at the moment, and that he later might be able to provide more precise figures on casualties and damage. In April, at least 70 people died from heavy rains and flash flooding in the country. About 2,000 homes, three mosques, and four schools were damaged last month. Thousands of people require assistance. The flooding also damaged agriculture land and 2,500 animals died in the deluges, according to Saiq.