Afghanistan: 16 people killed in floods in Baghlan and Badakhshan

Kabul: As many as 16 people, including women and children, have died in the recent floods in Baghlan and Badakhshan provinces of Afghanistan, TOLO News reported.

According to local officials in these provinces, 500 houses have been completely or partially destroyed in the floods. The local authorities have said that the floods have impacted Dand-e-Ghori, Doshi, the city of Pul-e-Khumri, the village of Morchak in central Badakhshan, and several other parts of these provinces, according to TOLO News report.

Taliban-appointed Baghlan Police Command chief Abdul Ghafoor Khadem said, "Last night, a very strong flood occurred. The major casualties we have are in the Larkhab area of Doshi district in Baghlan province. In Larkhab, approximately six people were martyred, including three children, one woman, and two men, and over 300 houses have been destroyed."

Taliban-appointed head of the Natural Disaster Management in Badakhshan, Mohammad Kamgar said that ten members of one family and one other person was injured due to the floods, according to TOLO News report.

Meanwhile, several families who have lost all their belongings due to the floods have lambasted the delayed arrival of aid. The families called for immediate assistance from the Taliban-led government and aid agencies.

Hizbullah, a flood victim, said, "The flood took nine members of my family. We found two bodies, but the others are still missing," TOLO News reported. Another flood victim Ziaullah said, "Our request is that as we are among the affected, whatever is allocated to any part of Afghanistan, do not forget us."

More than 300 people have died over the past week in the devastating floods in several parts of Afghanistan. The floods have destroyed hundreds of residential houses and ruined thousands of acres of agricultural land.

After heavy floods hit several regions of Afghanistan, the World Food Programme on May 12 announced that most flood-affected areas are inaccessible by vehicles, including trucks, reported Khaama Press.

The organisation shared a picture showing aid workers, transferring emergency supplies to Baghlan using donkeys.

"Flood Update: Most of the affected areas in Baghlan, #Afghanistan is inaccessible by trucks. WFP had to resort to every alternative to get food to the survivors who lost everything," the UNWFP posted on X.

The WFP posted on X about the lack of easy access for flood victims in Baghlan, reported Khaama Press. The organisation had stated, "The World Food Programme had to resort to any alternative to deliver food to survivors who have lost everything."