Floods kill over 300 in northern Afghanistan after heavy rains, says UN

Flash floods from unusually heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan have killed more than 300 people and destroyed over 1,000 houses, the UN food agency said Saturday.

The World Food Programme said it was distributing fortified biscuits to the survivors of one of the many floods that hit Afghanistan over the last few weeks, mostly the northern province of Baghlan, which bore the brunt of the deluges Friday.

In neighbouring Takhar province, sources reported that the floods killed at least 20 people.

Mujahid identified the provinces of Badakhshan, Baghlan, Ghor and Herat as the worst hit. He added that the extensive devastation has resulted in significant financial losses.

He said the government had ordered all available resources mobilized to rescue people, transport the injured and recover the dead.

The Taliban Defence Ministry said in a statement Saturday that the country's air force has already begun evacuating people in Baghlan and has rescued a large number of people stuck in flooded areas and transported 100 injured people to military hospitals in the region.

Videos posted on social media showed dozens of people gathered Saturday behind the hospital in Baghlan looking for their loved ones. 

Officials previously said that in April at least 70 people died from heavy rains and flash flooding in the country. About 2,000 homes, three mosques, and four schools were also damaged.