17 killed, 23 injured after new wave of severe flooding hits Afghanistan

Heavy rainfall and deadly floods continue affecting Afghanistan after unusually dry winter. Just days after floods took away lives of at least 34 people and 600 animals, a new wave of heavy torrential rains, flash flooding and landslides claimed lives another 17 people, authorities said May 19, 2018.

The worst affected over the past 48 hours were Balkh and Takhar province in the country's north. 

8 people including women and children were killed in Balkh's Charhar Kint, Chimtal, Shulgara and Khulm districts. Hundreds of acres of lands have been washed out and several villages have been seriously affected by the flooding in the province, Sayyed Sarwar Housaini, spokesman of 707 Pamir Police Zone told Xinhua.

In neighboring Takhar province, rain, strong winds and floodwaters continue to plague residents in Rustaq, Chal Farkhar and Worsaj districts, killing nine people and injuring 21 others, according to Abdul Khalil Asir, provincial police spokesman.

At least 1 person was killed and 13 were injured after a mount collapsed in the Qarlaq Sali area of Rustaq district on Friday morning, May 18. The slide destroyed 50 houses, Sunnatullah Taimouri, spokesman of Takhar governor, said.

The flooding also washed away up to 80 ha (200 acres) of farmlands in the province and closed highway extending to the neighboring Kunduz province.

According to Afghanistan National Disaster Management Department, the recent rain and floods killed more than 60 people and damaged hundreds of houses.

Featured image credit: IOM Afghanistan