Afghanistan: Flash floods leave dozens dead north of Kabul

At least 30 people have been killed and hundreds of houses destroyed by flash floods in northern Afghanistan, local officials said Wednesday. 

Torrential rains hit the country’s Parwan Province, north of Kabul, overnight, causing the flash flooding, according to a statement from the Ministry of Disaster Management.

Several children were among the dead and at least 70 people others were injured. The floods also destroyed over 300 houses in the provincial capital Shakar.

Casualties could still rise as rescue teams look for people buried under hundreds of destroyed homes, said a spokesperson for Parwan province Wahida Shahkar. 

Rescue operations overwhelmed

Rescue operations were underway, but provincial authorities said the destruction had overwhelmed the local capacity to help. 

Torrential rains and flash flooding occur regularly in Afghanistan, killing dozens of people every year.

The country was hit by particularly severe flash floods in the spring of 2019. UN figures show that the floods destroyed over 10,000 houses and affected around 180,000 people.

Poorly built housing in the country’s rural areas are particularly prone to collapsing under heavy rain. 

kp/stb (AFP, AP, dpa)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/afghanistan-flash-floods-leave-dozens-dead-north-of-kabul/a-54698910?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf