Severe floods on Friday, May 17, in Ghor, central Afghanistan, and Faryab in the north, have killed at least 68 people, according to local officials. Abdul Wahid Hamas, the Taliban governor’s spokesperson in Ghor, told the media that the floods in various parts of the province have claimed the lives of 50 people and destroyed over 2,000 residential houses. He stated that some people are still missing, and the death toll may rise.
Additionally, local Taliban officials in the northern province of Faryab reported that 18 people have died due to the recent floods. Esmatullah Moradi, the Taliban governor’s spokesperson in Faryab, told the Associated Press that floods in different parts of the province have killed 18 people and injured two others.
In recent days, various regions of Afghanistan have witnessed devastating and deadly floods. In the northern province of Baghlan, 315 people have been killed and thousands of residential houses have been destroyed due to these floods.
The floods have also blocked many routes leading to the affected areas, making it difficult to deliver aid to the flood victims. Reports from the mountainous province of Ghor in central Afghanistan indicate that many affected areas have not yet received aid due to blocked roads. Local residents have warned the media of a potential humanitarian disaster due to the lack of food and medical supplies.
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has called for more funding on X (formerly Twitter). He urged donors to provide additional funding for humanitarian support to restore the lives and livelihoods of those affected.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, announced on X that their government has mobilized all its resources to help the flood victims. However, these efforts appear to be insufficient given the scale of the destruction and the large number of affected people.
