Afghan flood deaths rise
Call for government aid to dig out people trapped in mud
HEAVY floods in northern Afghanistan have killed at least 100 people, with the death toll expected to rise last night, said Ghulam Bahauddin Jillani, head of the Afghan National Disaster Management Authority.
The bodies were transferred to a hospital in the province of Parwan, as officials were trying to determine a precise death toll, which could take a week, according to the head of the provincial health department, Fatihullah Warasata.
More than 250 people were also injured in the flash floods in the city of Charikar, the capital of the northern province, Jillani.
Rahmatullah Haidari, a provincial government spokesperson, said at least 500 houses had been confirmed destroyed by the floods, which began early yesterday.
Bulldozers and tractors – some government-owned, some provided by private companies – were busy searching, both for the dead and for people stranded by the waters, Haidari said.
So far, at least 22 families who have lost family members have been given aid equivalent to $650 (R10 100). Families reporting wounded members have received about $325.
Haidari said work was under way to identify more affected families.
The head of the provincial hospital, Abdul Qasim Sangin, said several children were among the dead and some injured are in critical condition.
Shahkar said the flooding started in the central part of the province overnight following heavy rains, destroying many homes.
She called on the government to deliver aid and provide immediate support for workers digging through mud to reach those who were trapped.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered aid be delivered to Parwan and other provinces while expressing his condolences to the victims’ families.
Ahmad Tameem Azimi, spokesperson of the Disaster Management Ministry, said flooding blocked highways to eastern and northern provinces.
“Along with rescuing people, we are working to open the highways back to the traffic,” he said.
Azimi said at least 300 houses were destroyed in Parwan and more than 1 000 people displaced. He said ground and air support sent to help those trapped by the flooding had reached the provinces.
Azimi said the ministry warned residents of possible flooding in the region with a social media alert late on Tuesday. He said agricultural land had been destroyed, with the heavy rain wiping out all the corps in eastern Nuristan province.
Houses and roads were destroyed in northern Kapisa, Panjshir and eastern Paktia provinces, Azimi said.
In eastern Maidan Wardak province, two people died and five were injured when flooding destroyed several houses.
The office of the Nangarhar governor said two members of a family died and four were injured yesterday morning when the wall of their house collapsed in flooding.
Summer often brings heavy rainfall in northern and eastern Afghanistan, leading to floods that leave hundreds dead every year.
Meanwhile, footage by local broadcasters showed that large parts of the city had been destroyed. Many roads were destroyed, houses had been shuttered, and damaged cars were strewn around.
Earlier, Wahida Shahkar, another provincial spokesperson, said the local government did not have the resources to provide all aid needed.