Death Toll in Afghanistan Floods Rises to 315

The refugee affairs ministry in Afghanistan's Taliban government announced on Sunday that the death toll from floods ravaging the north of the country has risen to 315, with over 1600 others injured.

The ministry updated the death toll via a post on its official platform, citing data from its local office in the northern province of Baghlan.

Earlier, the interior ministry stated that the official death toll from the floods, triggered by heavy rains days ago, stood at 153 but indicated that this number was likely to increase.

According to Reuters, thousands of homes have been damaged, and livestock swept away by the floods.

Relief organizations reported that healthcare facilities and vital infrastructure like water networks have also been affected by the floods.

Afghanistan is prone to natural disasters, with the United Nations considering it one of the countries most affected by the impacts of climate change.

Since the Taliban took power and foreign forces withdrew in 2021, Afghanistan has been facing a shortage of aid, with developmental assistance, which formed the backbone of the government's finances, being cut off.

The situation worsened further amid foreign governments' preoccupation with other global crises and also due to criticism of the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on the participation of Afghan women in relief efforts.

In a statement on Sunday, Taliban government's Minister of Economy, Din Mohammad Hanif, urged the United Nations, relief agencies, and private companies to provide support to those affected by the floods.