Some 70 people have died since last Saturday in floods and flash floods in Afghanistan. Around twenty of the 34 Afghan provinces have recorded a high level of precipitation for several weeks.
Some 60 people were killed after heavy rains in the last three weeks of March in the country. According to scientists, this country, ravaged by four decades of war and which is among the poorest in the world, is also one of the most poorly prepared to deal with the consequences of climate change. The country experienced a very dry winter and is strongly affected by climatic upheavals. The floods are affecting almost all regions this spring, a traditional period of rain in Afghanistan, a government official said. The death toll is expected to rise as more rain is forecast for the next few days. He added that more than 2,600 houses have been destroyed and 2,000 heads of livestock have been lost. The government is appealing to the international community for help in dealing with the floods.