Flash floods kill more than 300 people in northern Afghanistan : NPR

ISLAMABAD — Flash floods from unusually heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan have killed greater than 300 individuals and destroyed over 1,000 homes, the U.N. meals company mentioned Saturday.

The World Meals Program mentioned it was distributing fortified biscuits to the survivors of one of many many floods that hit Afghanistan over the previous few weeks, principally the northern province of Baghlan, which bore the brunt of the deluges Friday.

In neighboring Takhar province, state-owned media retailers reported the floods killed at the very least 20 individuals.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesman for the Taliban authorities, posted on the social media platform X that “tons of … have succumbed to those calamitous floods, whereas a considerable quantity have sustained accidents.”

Mujahid recognized the provinces of Badakhshan, Baghlan, Ghor and Herat because the worst hit. He added that “the in depth devastation” has resulted in “important monetary losses.”

He mentioned the federal government had ordered all accessible assets mobilized to rescue individuals, transport the injured and recuperate the useless.

The Taliban Protection Ministry mentioned in a press release Saturday that the nation’s air pressure has already begun evacuating individuals in Baghlan and has rescued a lot of individuals caught in flooded areas and transported 100 injured individuals to navy hospitals within the area.

Richard Bennett, U.N. particular rapporteur on the state of affairs of human rights in Afghanistan, mentioned on X that the floods are a stark reminder of Afghanistan’s vulnerability to the local weather disaster and each instant support and long-term planning by the Taliban and worldwide actors are wanted.

Movies posted on social media confirmed dozens of individuals gathered Saturday behind the hospital in Baghlan searching for their family members. An official tells them that they need to go and begin digging graves whereas their workers are busy with getting ready our bodies for the burial ceremony.

Officers beforehand mentioned that in April at the very least 70 individuals died from heavy rains and flash flooding within the nation. About 2,000 houses, three mosques, and 4 colleges had been additionally broken.