Flash floods kill at least 100 in Afghanistan
An Afghan villager pushes his bicycle through floodwater in Charikar in Parwan province, north of the Afghan capital Kabul, on Wednesday. At least 100 people have been killed and nearly 500 houses destroyed by flash floods after torrential rains lashed the city.
Rescue workers in Afghanistan searched on Wednesday for survivors of flash floods that killed at least 100 people and destroyed hundreds of houses in a city north of Kabul, officials said.
Troops pulled dozens of victims from the rubble of collapsed buildings in Charikar, capital of Parwan province, after torrential overnight rains fueled fierce floods that swept through the city. Officials and witnesses said many children were among the dead.
Local resident Mohamed Qasim, a 45-year-old farmer, said that 11 members of his family were killed in the floods.
“My sister, her husband, two of their daughters and their children were all sleeping in one house,” Qasim said.
“When the flood hit, the house collapsed on them. Eleven members of my family were killed, most of them are my nieces and nephews.”
Piles of rocks from destroyed buildings were scattered across the city.
Roads were blocked by mud and debris and cars flipped on their side.
Afghanistan’s state ministry for disaster management said the death toll from the floods had risen to 100.
About 100 other people were injured and nearly 500 houses destroyed in the floods.
Many residents stood on rooftops under continued heavy rain, holding on to their salvaged belongings.
“I was alone when the flood hit,” said 70-year-old Hamida.
“I grabbed the window and was holding it for two hours until the neighbors came to rescue me.
“I lost everything, my jewelry, money and all my property.”
