Flash floods kill at least 20 in eastern Afghanistan, more than 100 missing

At least 20 people have been killed, and more than 100 others remain missing after torrential rain triggered flash floods in eastern Afghanistan, the Taliban authorities said on July 20.

The flooding caused widespread devastation in Parun, the capital of Nuristan province, where the city's mayor is among those reported missing, Caliber.Az reports, citing the BBC.

More than 80 people were also injured, according to officials.

Taliban authorities warned that the disaster is expected to result in "severe financial and human losses."

Images shared on social media showed extensive destruction, with homes, shops and municipal buildings heavily damaged by the floods.

Ashiqullah Safi, head of the local non-governmental organisation Shpoul, told AFP that the flooding had "completely destroyed the municipality" of Parun.

He noted that residents were searching through the rubble without proper equipment after floodwaters left large boulders scattered across the town.

The Taliban's meteorology department has forecast further heavy rainfall and flooding across 10 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces through Wednesday, urging residents to stay away from riverbanks and flood-prone areas.

Afghanistan is among the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and natural disasters, including floods, storms and prolonged drought.

The country also remains one of the world's poorest after decades of conflict, culminating in the withdrawal of US-led forces and the Taliban's return to power in 2021.

Nuristan, known for its forested mountains and rivers, was designated a national park in 2020. However, widespread deforestation and illegal logging in the province and elsewhere have reduced the land's capacity to absorb heavy rainfall, contributing to increasingly severe flash floods, according to multiple media reports.

Earlier this year, heavy rains and flooding claimed at least 150 lives in northern Afghanistan, while the World Food Programme estimated the death toll exceeded 300.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov