Flooding in Afghanistan by Elizabeth Saary
After the harshest winter for a decade in Afghanistan, floods and landslides are now taking their toll.
Authorities had already been bracing themselves for the worst as the coldest winter in years had produced deep snow in this mountainous country. It had been feared that the sheer volumes of water produced by the melting snow could have devastating effects as the weather warmed up and those fears appear to be coming true.
Nearly 600 people are known to have died this winter from disease, avalanches and road accidents and it is thought that there could be many more casualties in remote parts.
The past few days have seen milder weather move across Afghanistan. This has begun the thaw but the problem has also been exacerbated by torrential rains. The provinces of Uruzgan, Farah, Ghor and Jawzjan have been particularly badly hit by the floods. So far at least 24 people are feared dead and hundreds of homes have been destroyed.
The heavy rain is also thought to have been responsible for a landslide on Thursday in Badakhshan province about 140 miles northeast of the capital Kabul.
No immediate improvement in weather conditions is expected with further heavy rain forecast over the next few days.
Nearby northern Pakistan has also been affected. Thirty people travelling to a shrine were swept away in a flash flood today. The harsh winter is thought to have been responsible for around 400 deaths in Pakistan.
The wet weather currently plaguing Afghanistan and Pakistan is more welcome by some of the population. Farmers have really suffered during years of drought but with this recent wet weather hopefully some of their problems will be eased.
|
|
