Afghanistan has been ravaged by torrential floods triggered by relentless seasonal rains, leaving behind a trail of devastation that has claimed the lives of hundreds and injured countless others, a Taliban official confirmed on Saturday.
The wrath of the floods has been particularly severe in the northern region of Afghanistan, with Baghlan province bearing the brunt of the catastrophic deluge on Friday. Preliminary reports from Baghlan paint a grim picture, with officials estimating that at least 50 lives have been lost and numerous properties reduced to rubble across multiple districts.
The official death toll from the devastating flash floods in northern Afghanistan has reached a staggering 151, according to Reuters, citing the Taliban's interior ministry. The relentless downpour on Friday unleashed a torrent of destruction, leaving at least 135 people injured, ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qaniee told Reuters.
Neighboring Takhar province has also fallen victim to the floods, with state-owned media outlets reporting that at least 20 lives have been lost. Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesman for the Taliban government, took to social media on Saturday to convey the grim news that hundreds have succumbed to these calamitous floods, while a substantial number have sustained injuries.
Mujahid identified Badakhshan, Baghlan, Ghor, and Herat as the provinces that have suffered the most severe blows from the floods. He lamented the extensive devastation that has been wrought upon these regions, resulting in significant financial losses.
Determined to alleviate the suffering, the Taliban government has swiftly mobilized all available resources to rescue those in need, transport the injured, and recover the bodies of the deceased, Mujahid said.
The Taliban's defense ministry has already deployed the country's air force to assist in the rescue efforts in Baghlan, with helicopters evacuating those trapped by the floods and transporting over a hundred injured individuals to military hospitals in the region.
The Taliban's swift response to this tragedy stands in stark contrast to their inaction during a similar disaster in April, before Friday's floods, when at least 70 people died from heavy rains and flash flooding across the country. During that earlier catastrophe, some 2,000 homes, three mosques, and four schools were also damaged, underscoring the urgent need for disaster preparedness and response mechanisms in Afghanistan.
