Flash floods kill 40 people in Afghanistan

At least 40 people have been killed and several others were reportedly missing after flash floods hit a village in Afghanistan's Nuristan province, an official said.

"The floods on Thursday triggered by heavy rain engulfed the Mirdesh village in Kamdesh district. The initial information showed that local villagers found 40 bodies while many others were still missing," the provincial official told Xinhua news agency.

Nearly all the houses in village were affected by the floods, he said, adding that the waters also swept away cattle, destroyed agricultural lands and also demolished a large part of a road in Kamdesh bordering Pakistan, resulting in its closure.

The office of the State Minister for Disaster Management said a search and rescue operation could not be conducted in the area as the district is under the Taliban's control.


Meanwhile, Nuristan's Governor Hafiz Abdul Qayyum told Xinhua that as soon as the Taliban allows the provincial officials to access the area, rescue teams will be dispatched and humanitarian assistance will be sent to the affected people.-IANS