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Videos show devastating flash floods in Afghanistan; death toll rises to 50

Videos show devastating flash floods in Afghanistan; death toll rises to 50

Afghanistan

At least 50 people were killed in floods in Afghanistan's northern province of Baghlan on Friday, according toa spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior, who added that the death toll might rise. Videos of the flash floods are making rounds on social media.

"The recent floods in Baghlan province have caused widespread devastation. According to reports, it has taken numerous lives and destroyed hundreds of homes resulting in displacement. Kindly help the victims by donating," a user wrote on X along with sharing a video.

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Following heavy rains, more than five districts in Baghlan experienced flooding, according to Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qaniee, who told Reuters that some families were stranded and in need of immediate assistance.

“The Ministry of Interior has sent teams and helicopters to the area, but due to a shortage of night vision lights in helicopters, the operation may not be successful,” he said.

Heavy rains lashed Afghanistan last month, killing around 70 people, according to the government's disaster management agency.

Afghanistan had experienced an extremely dry winter, which consequently dehydrated the land, worsening the impact of flash floods caused by spring downpours.

According to disaster management official Janan Sayeq, the rains caused "approximately 70 people to lose their lives." He stated 56 people suffered injuries and over 2,600 homes were damaged or destroyed, along with 95,000 acres of farmland.

"Afghanistan is experiencing major swings in extreme weather conditions," the UN warned last year.

In eastern Afghanistan, heavy snowfall in February caused a landslide that claimed at least 25 lives, and a three-week period of precipitation that ended in March claimed the lives of about 60 people.

The Taliban-controlled Meteorological Department has issued warnings for heavy rains and flooding in 22 provinces on Friday and Saturday, including the northern province of Sar-e-Pul, which might get 15 to 45 millimeters of rain.

About the Author

Prapti Upadhayay

Prapti Upadhayay is a New Delhi-based journalist who reports on key news developments across India and global affairs, with a special focus on US politics. When not writing, she en...Read More