Deadly Afghanistan floods kill at least 26 as aid agencies race to reach… — UN News

Flash floods have killed at least 26 people across eastern Afghanistan, including 23 in the mountainous province of Nuristan, where homes, markets and roads were swept away and search teams continued looking for people reported missing. The flooding, triggered by heavy rainfall on 20 July, also claimed the lives of three Afghan refugees at a returnee transit camp near the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan, while nine others were injured, according to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA. The worst devastation was reported in Parun City, the capital of Nuristan province, where a sudden flash flood struck at about 3pm local time, overwhelming residential neighbourhoods and commercial areas. Preliminary assessments indicate that at least 22 houses were destroyed and another 45 severely damaged. Four bridges, six sections of road, irrigation canals and flood protection walls also sustained extensive damage, disrupting access to affected communities. The flooding disrupted access to safe drinking water for around 1,000 families after the local water supply network was damaged. Approximately 10 hectares of agricultural land were also affected, adding to concerns over livelihoods in one of Afghanistan’s most remote regions. The disaster also affected aid operations, with offices, warehouses, vehicles and assets of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) reportedly damaged. One NGO staff member is said to be missing. Search-and-rescue operations remained under way as of Tuesday,…