Officials Say 40 Dead, 150 Missing In North Afghanistan Floods
At least 40 people have been killed and 150 more are missing after flash floods hit the northeastern Afghan province of Nuristan.
A rescue operation was under way on July 29 to find the missing people after torrential rains overwhelmed the Kamdesh district of Nuristan, some 355 kilometers northeast of Kabul.
Much of the village of Begha Mirdesh in Kamdesh was destroyed, with hundreds of homes washed away by the swollen waters that ravaged the area late on July 28, killing dozens of people.
“There was a flood in the village of Begha Mirdesh. There were about 700-800 houses there; all of them were destroyed,” Abdul Rahman, a resident of the district, told RFE/RL.
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Provincial council head Saadullah Payendazoi said the floods in Mirdesh had swept away houses, people, and animals. He said eight bodies had been recovered so far.
“It is a disaster and people need help,” Payendazoi said.
Nuristan Governor Hafiz Abdul Qayyum told RFE/RL that all communication means have been cut off in the area, which is under Taliban control.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told RFE/RL that the militants would allow access to aid agencies and unarmed government officials.
The Doab and Noorgram districts of Nuristan have also been affected by floods, with inhabitants telling RFE/RL that no one had reached out to help them.