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Heavy Rains Set off Flash Floods in Northern Afghanistan, Killing at Least 47 People
Heavy Rains Set off Flash Floods in Northern Afghanistan, Killing at Least 47 People

Heavy Rains Set off Flash Floods in Northern Afghanistan, Killing at Least 47 People

Kabul, 19 May (ONA) --- More heavy rains in Afghanistan have triggered flash floods, raising the death toll to 47 in the country’s north following weeks of devastating torrents that had already left hundreds dead and missing.

The new round of heavy rains and floods hit three districts in Faryab province last night, destroying houses and farmlands. Earlier reports from Faryab put the death toll at 18 but officials said those were still preliminary figures.

Afghanistan has been witnessing unusually heavy seasonal rains.

In the hard-hit western province of Ghor, 50 people were reported dead from Friday’s floods.

The U.N. food agency said Ghor was the most affected by the floods. Last week, the World Food Program said the exceptionally heavy rains in Afghanistan had killed more than 300 people and destroyed thousands of houses, mostly in the northern province of Baghlan.

--- Ends/Khalid