Kabul, 11 May 2024, (GNP): The United Nations (UN) reported that over 200 individuals lost their lives due to flash floods in one province of northern Afghanistan.
Over 200 individuals lost their lives, and numerous residences were either demolished or impacted in Baghlan province due to extensive flooding triggered by heavy rainfall on Friday, as per the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) informed AFP.
In Baghlani Jadid district specifically, around 1,500 households suffered damage or destruction, with “over 100 fatalities,” noted an IOM emergency response lead, referencing data from the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority.
Taliban administration representatives reported a death toll of 62 individuals by Friday evening.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban, conveyed in a statement on X, previously known as Twitter, on Saturday that “hundreds of our fellow citizens have succumbed to these calamitous floods,” without specifying the exact figures of fatalities and injuries, although he informed AFP that dozens had lost their lives.
Also Read: Islamabad, Kabul engages in new war of words
Flash flooding affected multiple provinces across Afghanistan, with authorities in northern Takhar province reporting 20 fatalities on Saturday.
Officials stated that heavy rainfall on Friday also inflicted significant damage in northeastern Badakhshan province, central Ghor province, and western Herat.
The defense ministry announced that emergency personnel have been dispatched to the affected regions and are swiftly working to rescue injured and stranded individuals.
Afghanistan, having experienced a notably dry winter, faces challenges in soil absorption during rainfall, rendering it highly susceptible to climate change. Despite being afflicted by four decades of conflict, the nation remains one of the world’s poorest and, according to experts, is among the least equipped to confront the repercussions of climate change.
