15 Killed in Floods in Afghanistan

Severe flash floods triggered by unseasonably heavy rains have claimed at least 15 lives in Afghanistan, including ten members of a single family in the northeast, officials reported on Sunday.

The intense rains, unusual for this season, have caused widespread devastation across the country, killing hundreds and obliterating property and crops.

The United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) has highlighted the dire situation, noting that survivors are struggling to sustain their livelihoods.

The most recent deluge struck the northeastern Badakhshan and northern Baghlan provinces on Saturday night.

Badakhshan's provincial natural disaster management director, Mohammad Akram Akbari, confirmed the tragic loss of a family in Faizabad, the provincial capital. Only the mother’s body has been recovered so far by rescue teams.

In Baghlan province, Edayatullah Hamdard, the provincial director of Natural Disaster Management, reported the destruction of at least 40 houses in Dushi district.

Although he could not provide specific casualty figures, a local official, requesting anonymity, revealed that five bodies had been discovered, with ongoing search efforts for more victims.

Earlier this month, the WFP reported that unprecedented rainfall had already resulted in over 300 fatalities and the destruction of thousands of homes, predominantly in Baghlan province.

The agency emphasized that survivors were left homeless, landless, and without means of livelihood.

The western province of Ghor saw 50 fatalities due to floods on May 18, while on May 19, at least 84 people perished in northern Faryab, where around 1,500 homes were either partially or completely destroyed, and hundreds of hectares of farmland were submerged.

This latest catastrophe follows the devastating floods in April, which resulted in at least 70 deaths.

The floods destroyed approximately 2,000 homes, three mosques, and four schools across western Farah and Herat, and southern Zabul and Kandahar provinces.

Authorities and international organizations continue to grapple with the severe humanitarian impact of these ongoing natural disasters, striving to provide relief and support to the affected populations.