According to the UN food agency, flash floods caused by exceptionally strong seasonal rains in Afghanistan have claimed over 300 lives and damaged 1,000 homes.
According to the World Food Programme, those who have survived one of the several floods that have affected Afghanistan in recent weeks—mostly the northern province of Baghlan, which was most struck on Friday—will be receiving reinforced biscuits.
According to state-run media, the floods in the neighboring province of Takhar claimed the lives of at least 20 people.
Numerous individuals gathered on Saturday in front of the Baghlan hospital in search of their loved ones were seen in videos shared on social media. They are informed by an authority that while their employees are busy getting the remains ready for burial, they should begin digging graves.
The principal spokesperson for the Taliban leadership, Zabihullah Mujahid, said on the social networking site X that “hundreds… have succumbed to these calamitous floods, while a substantial number have sustained injuries.”
The provinces of Badakhshan, Baghlan, Ghor, and Herat were the hardest affected, according to Mr. Mujahid. He went on to say that “the extensive devastation” had cost them “significant financial losses.”
He added that in order to save lives, move the injured, and retrieve the deceased, the administration has ordered the mobilization of all resources.
In addition to the deaths, the IRC said that the provinces of Baghlan, Ghor, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Samangan, Badghis, and Takhar had suffered the destruction of roads and electricity lines. In the impacted areas, it stated, the agency was getting ready to step up its emergency response.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Taliban defense ministry announced that the air force of the nation had started the process of evacuating people from Baghlan, rescued many individuals stranded in inundated regions, and evacuated 100 injured people to military hospitals in the area.
The floods served as a sharp reminder of Afghanistan’s susceptibility to the climatic problem, according to Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the status of human rights in Afghanistan. He stated on X that the Taliban and other foreign players need to provide both emergency help and long-term preparation.
In April, the nation saw flash floods and torrential rains that claimed at least 70 lives. In addition, three mosques, four schools, and almost 2,000 houses sustained damage.In addition to the deaths, the IRC said that the provinces of Baghlan, Ghor, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Samangan, Badghis, and Takhar had suffered the destruction of roads and electricity lines. In the impacted areas, it stated, the agency was getting ready to step up its emergency response.