Afghanistan flood: Death toll rises to 113

Nuristan [Afghanistan], August 1. The death toll of last week’s flooding in Afghanistan’s Kamdish district has risen to 113 with dozens still missing, TOLO News reported quoting an official, adding that 70 more were injured.

The floods happened on Wednesday due to heavy rains in the Kamdish district in Nuristan province. “Some are still missing… 12 kilometers of road has been destroyed, 173 houses were totally damaged,” the State Minister on Natural Disaster Management Ghulam Bahauddin Jailani said, TOLO News reported.

Some lawmakers from the province said the flood-affected residents need urgent assistance.

The lawmakers claimed that the Taliban is obstructing the rescue operations of the victims. But the Taliban has said that it has prevented the infiltration of the government forces to flood-hit areas.

“The people are in a critical situation. They need urgent help. They have lost everything,” said Ismail Atikan, an MP from Nuristan.

Nuristan governor Hafiz Abdul Qayum said some of the affected families have been provided support by the government.

“Our teams that have been sent. Based on their assessment, the flood-affected people need tents, beds and kitchen kits as their basic needs,” he said.

Last month, at least 12 people were also killed as heavy rains and flash floods hit parts of Afghanistan’s western province of Herat.

The floods also destroyed tens of residential houses and orchards in the districts and caused the closure of several district roads to traffic. RSS