Death toll rises following flash flooding in Afghanistan

KABUL (Agencies): Flash flooding in western Afghanistan led to dozens of deaths as heavy thunderstorms continually drenched the region. More thunderstorms in the coming days can lead to additional flooding.

At least 37 people, including some children, have been killed by flooding across nine provinces in Afghanistan, The Associated Press (AP) reported. “A slow-moving disturbance has been across the region since the weekend,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls. “The result has been daily shower and thunderstorm activity, especially over the mountains in northeast Iran and western Afghanistan.”

Due to the slow-moving nature of the disturbance, the same areas saw showers and thunderstorms for several days. These rounds of intense rainfall caused rivers across the region to spill over their banks. Governor Abdul Tahir Faizzada of the Western Ghor province stated that 163 homes were partially destroyed and 910 people were forced from their homes as floodwaters poured into the area from the mountains.

Tamim Azimi, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s natural disaster ministry, said that over 405 families have been displaced in various provinces across the country, according to the AP. In addition to damaging homes, the floods also destroyed orchards and washed out roads across the district, the Hindustan Times reported.

“The disturbance will linger over the area through Thursday with additional showers and thunderstorms likely,” said Nicholls. The threat for additional heavy showers and thunderstorms will remain across much of western and northern Afghanistan until the disturbance weakens. Flash flooding will remain possible in areas that see repeated downpours or prolonged heavy rain. As this disturbance slowly exits the region around the end of the week, a slow return to dry weather is expected.