Afghanistan: Dozens killed as heavy rains trigger floods
April 14, 2024![Afghan people wait to cross a flooded area in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province on April 13, 2024](https://static.dw.com/image/68816530_800.webp)
Flooding caused by heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan has killed more than 30 people, a Taliban spokesperson said on Sunday.
Flash floods were first reported on Friday, causing "high human and financial losses," Taliban spokesperson Abdullah Janan Saiq of the State Ministry for Natural Disaster Management said.
He added that "unfortunately 33 people died and 27 people were injured due to the flooding."
Rains expected to continue
Some 600 houses and more than 85 kilometers (53 miles) of roads were damaged or destroyed, along with around 2,000 hectares of farmland, Saiq said.
Most of the victims were killed by their houses collapsing on them.
Of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, 20 were affected by the heavy rains, including the capital Kabul.
The rainy season followed an unusually dry winter season which can often make flooding worse.
Many farmers had already had to delay sowing their crops due to the drought.
More rain has been forecast for the coming week, especially in the Kabul province.
The Taliban took back control of Afghanistan in 2021. Since then, foreign aid has been drastically reduced, including relief for natural disasters.
ab/wd(AFP, AP)