Flash Floods: 182 people killed, 250 injured nationwide in past month

KABUL (Pajhwok): Over 180 people were killed, 250 others injured and more than 3,000 homes damaged as a result of flash floods nationwide in the past month, an official said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference here, the ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA)’ Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said: “182 persons martyred, 250 injured and 3,109 homes partially or completely damaged as a result of flash floods nationwide in the past one month.”

He said besides human and financial losses, thousands of acres of agricultural land and as many as 1,000 livestock were also lost.

He said climate changes had affected Afghanistan and other regional countries, adding that the lack of attention by the previous government and continued drought made people more vulnerable to natural disasters.

He said if the flash floods continue and expanded the government of Afghanistan will not be able to control the situation and would ask the international community for support.

Mujahid said the State Ministry for Natural Disaster Management had chalked out a strategy through which losses caused by floods and other natural disasters could be curtailed. The strategy had proceeded to the cabinet for approval, he added.