Kabul: The death toll from flash floods in Afghanistan has risen to 26, with at least 40 people still missing, according to officials.
The floods hit the western province of Badghis on Monday, destroying homes and infrastructure. More than 2,000 people have been displaced by the floods.
“The search and rescue operation is ongoing,” said Mohammad Amin Huzaifa, the provincial governor’s spokesman. “We have retrieved 26 bodies so far, and 40 people are still missing.”
The floods were caused by heavy rains that also affected neighboring provinces of Herat and Ghor.
“The situation is very bad,” said Abdulhai Khatibi, the governor of Ghor province. “More than 100 houses have been destroyed, and many people have been displaced.”
The United Nations has called for urgent assistance for the affected people.
“We are deeply concerned about the impact of the flash floods in Badghis and Ghor provinces,” said Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan. “We call for urgent assistance to help the people affected by this disaster.”
The floods are a reminder of the vulnerability of Afghanistan to climate change. The country is already facing a severe drought, and experts say that climate change is making these events more frequent and severe.
“Climate change is a major threat to Afghanistan,” said Huzaifa. “We need to take urgent action to address this challenge.”
The flash floods have also highlighted the lack of preparedness in Afghanistan for natural disasters. The country has a weak early warning system, and its infrastructure is not well-equipped to withstand extreme weather events.
“We need to invest in disaster preparedness and response,” said Khatibi. “We need to be better prepared for the next disaster.”
The flash floods are a tragedy for the people of Afghanistan. They have lost their homes, their loved ones, and their livelihoods. The international community must come together to help them rebuild their lives.