Afghanistan: Flash floods claim at least 31 in Parwan province

Kabul, Aug 16: At least 31 people died in flash floods that wreaked havoc in northern Afghanistan on Monday.

The death toll is likely to increase as scores of people have gone missing as well, according to a report on Taliban-controlled Bakhtar state news agency.

The heavy rains on Sunday caused flash flooding in Parwan province where some of its districts often experience flooding as a result of torrential rains.

It is one of the mountainous provinces in Afghanistan and home to the Hindu Kush mountain range.

Numerous residential homes and hundreds of acres of farming fields have been devastated in the province, Khaama Press reported.

Moreover, the Parwan-Bamyan highway has been closed for traffic. The heavy rains and flooding have also affected several other Afghan provinces, including Nangarhar province in the east and Panjshir province in the north.

The heavy rains and flash floods have affected a large number of villages and townships in the three provinces located in the country's eastern and central areas over the past several days.
According to local residents, the floods have caused the destruction of hundreds of residential structures, thousands of acres of farming fields, and dozens of gardens, ANI reported.

It may be recalled that more than 40 people including women and children were killed and many others injured when floods swept across a village in Afghanistan's eastern Nuristan province about two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, meteorologists have issued a warning for the possible flash floods in several other provinces, including Parwan in the next 24 hours.

Reportedly, over 400 have been killed due to rain-related incidents and flooding in Afghanistan this monsoon.