Flash Floods Kill 17 Across Afghanistan

Flash floods triggered by the season's first heavy rains and snowfall have killed at least 17 people and injured 11 others across multiple regions of Afghanistan, officials reported Thursday. The disaster struck after a prolonged dry spell, affecting central, northern, southern and western areas since Monday and causing widespread disruption to daily life.

The National Disaster Management Authority confirmed that the floods damaged homes, roads and other infrastructure while killing livestock and impacting around 1,800 families. In one tragic incident in Kabkan district of Herat province, five members of a single family died when the roof of their home collapsed under the weight of accumulated snow and water, according to Mohammad Yousaf Saeedi, spokesman for the Herat governor. Two of the victims were children. Mohammad Yousaf Hammad, spokesman for the authority, stated that most casualties occurred in the hardest-hit districts over the past few days, with the severe weather exacerbating vulnerabilities in both urban and rural communities.

Assessment teams from the authority have been deployed to the most affected areas, and surveys are underway to evaluate additional needs and...