Three provinces in northern Afghanistan have seen catastrophic flash floods that have claimed 153 lives, according to a statement released on Saturday by the Taliban’s interior ministry.
A ministry spokesperson, Abdul Mateen Qaniee, told Reuters that at least 138 people have also been hurt in the flooding that occurred on Friday as a result of torrential rainfall in northern Baghlan, Takhar, and Badakhshan.
Taliban officials received reports that over 100 people were stranded, so they dispatched helicopters to try to help civilians overnight.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that many people were left homeless and that there had been “severe disruptions” to the water, waste, and transportation systems.
The WHO’s Afghanistan office stated in a statement late on Friday that “the impact has been profound, leading to loss of life and injuries, with many individuals still unaccounted for.”
It further stated that the organization was sending medical teams to treat people in the flooded areas and that the floodwaters had destroyed one and damaged four health centers.
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