Heavy rains, unseasonal flood kills 10 in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Unseasonal rains and flooding have killed at least 10 people — including two children — in Afghanistan’s northern and eastern provinces, the United Nations said Friday.

The deluge also wounded 11 people, with the most casualties and damage reported in eastern Nangarhar, Nuristan and Ghani provinces and Parwan in north of the country, the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

Heavy rainfall on July 5 and July 6 caused severe damage to over 280 homes, as well as other critical infrastructure across nine provinces, including four bridges and eight kilometers (about five miles) of a road.

It’s the second time that the eastern region has experienced flash floods in less than a month, with 19 people killed and 131 people injured in heavy rains that occurred over two days in June, the statement said.

As a result of heavy rains, floods and landslides, in Nuristan province, the road from Kunar to the center of Nuristan has been blocked for traffic, the country’s public works ministry said.

The ministry is using heavy machinery to reopen the road.

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