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CatastropheAfghanistan

Afghanistan: Flash floods leave dozens dead

July 23, 2023

Disaster management officials say flooding killed more than 30 people over the course of 72 hours. Local authorities say that many of the victims were asleep while floodwaters rose.

https://p.dw.com/p/4UHf5
A muddy street in Kabul
Flooding claimed several lives in Kabul, although most of victims were from the Jalrez district east of the capitalImage: NDMA/dpa/picture alliance

Flash flooding in central Afghanistan has left more than 30 people dead while dozens more are missing, according to local officials.

The country's disaster management authority told Germany's DPA news agency that at least 31 people had died over the past 72 hours.

What we know

A large number of deaths occurred in the central province of Maidan Wardak, where floodwaters rose while many people were asleep.

Ministry of Disaster Management spokesman Mohammad Shafi Rahimi said 26 of the deaths took place in Jalrez district, situated 46 kilometers (29 miles) east of Kabul. Heavy rain triggered flooding which washed away or damaged hundreds of houses, most of them built of earth. At least four more died in Kabul itself.

In a statement, the Taliban government called on aid agencies to help with emergency assistance, while offering condolences to bereaved families.

Last year, an exceptionally strong monsoon season sparked various flash flooding events in eastern and Afghanistan, which caused the deaths of hundreds of people.

The UN says that Afghanistan is highly prone to natural disasters, with the frequency and intensity being amplified by climate change.

kb/dj (dpa, Reuters)