At least 20 people have died and more than 3,000 homes have been destroyed in flash floods caused by heavy rains in eastern Afghanistan, officials said on Sunday.
Heavy rains have pounded parts of Logar province in the past 24 hours, killing 20 people, including nine children, and injuring 30, according to a statement from the governor's office.
The floods also destroyed dozens of irrigation canals and around 5,000 hectares of agricultural land, mostly orchards, it added.
About 2,000 head of cattle also perished in the floods.
Security forces and NGOs were evacuating victims to safe areas after their homes were destroyed, the statement said.
Risk of flooding in 21 provinces in the coming days
"
We urge the international community...to join Afghans at this critical time and spare no effort to help the victims
," government spokesman Bilal Karimi said in a statement.
For the next few days, the country's weather services forecast heavy rains with risk of flooding in 21 provinces.
Read alsoOne year after the return of the Taliban, Afghanistan's great leap backwards
Dozens of Afghans die each year from torrential rains, especially in poor rural areas where poorly constructed houses can easily collapse.
Since the return to power of the Islamic fundamentalists Taliban a year ago, aid and disaster relief programs funded by the international community have been significantly reduced in Afghanistan.
Some countries fear that the assistance will be diverted by the Taliban and used to consolidate their power.
