Afghanistan: Heavy rain, flash flood death toll climbs to 300

ISLAMABAD

At least 300 people have now been confirmed killed as torrential rain and devastating floods battered north and northwestern Afghanistan, UN Food Program said on Saturday.

"Flash floods ravage #Afghanistan, killing more than 300 people in Baghlan and destroying more than 1000 houses," UN Food Program said on X.

"This has been one of many floods over the last few weeks, due to unusually heavy rainfall," it added.

Heavy downpours caused floods in four provinces, destroying 2,500 to 3,000 houses, killing hundreds of livestock, while damaging roads and other infrastructure, said Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid.

"Rescue teams have already reached all the affected areas. They have taken the injured to hospitals by helicopters as roads were closed due to heavy flooding," he added.

The Taliban administration dispatched rescue and relief teams from Kabul and other provinces.

"We requested all the Afghan people to come forward and help the victims of the flood, which caused severe damages and destroyed entire villages in some areas," Mujahid said.

Last month, at least 70 people were killed and dozens of others injured in heavy rain and floods in different areas of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's neighbor Pakistan was also hit by rain and flooding that killed nearly 100 people and injured 89 others in April.