Heavy rains, flooding in western Afghanistan kill 7 people

TOPSHOT-AFGHANISTAN-WEATHER-FLOODS [File] An Afghan man helps a girl as she wades along a street affected by flash floods in Herat province | AFP

Heavy rains and flooding in Herat province of Afghanistan have killed at least 8 people. According to official sources. Snowfall in Afghanistan this winter, cut off many areas giving rise to fears to floods during spring.

Districts of Ghoryan, Koh Zor, Rubat Sangi and Zinda Jan have been most affected.

In Deh Salah district of the northern Baghlan province, on Thursday, three people died and six were injured due to flash floods.

This year, so far, 63 people have lost their lives and many have lost homes due to heavy rains and flooding. According to a report released by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), thousands of families were affected by flash flooding in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand in March. While, in Herat, seven people including children died in March. Hundreds of cattle were killed too.

Said Hamid Mubarez, the federal disaster and humanitarian director in Herat, said the flash floods on swept away eight people riding in two cars in the district of Karukh. Seven died and one was injured.