Heavy rain and flash floods during the last 24 hours have killed at least 17 people in the Balkh province in northern Afghanistan also incurring huge financial losses.
Hundreds of homes and thousands of acres of agricultural lands have been destroyed caused by flooding in Koshenda and Sholgara districts of northern Balkh province. The floods have also affected part of Mazar city including the city’s airport.
Flights have been cancelled while rehabilitation work on the airport runway is carried out. About 50 shops, 600 hectares of agricultural land and over 300 other residential units were completely destroyed.
According to local officials, five people are reported missing, wheat farms were destroyed.
Roads have been submerged and this is hampering the relief operations in the affected areas. Hundreds of affected people have been sheltering in local schools and Balkh university in Mazar city. Distribution of food and relief item has been started while assessments on-going in the affected districts and villages by aid agencies. Heavy rain is also continuing in several other provinces including Herat, Badghis, Baghlan and Uruzgan resulting in casualties, destruction of homes, agricultural lands and crops.
