At least 50 people have died in flash floods in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Flash floods caused by seasonal rains in Baghlan province in northern Afghanistan killed at least 50 people Friday, a Taliban official said.

The floods also caused damage to homes and property in several districts, according to Baghlan provincial director of natural disaster management Edayatullah Hamdard. He said the death toll was preliminary and that it “could rise as many people are missing.”

The flash floods also hit the capital Kabul, said Abdullah Janan Saiq, Taliban spokesman in the State Ministry for Natural Disaster Management. He said rescue teams had been dispatched to affected areas with food and other supplies.

Saiq said the rescue operation was currently the focus of authorities and that he might be able to provide more accurate casualty and damage figures later.

In April, at least 70 people died in the country due to heavy rains and flash floods. About 2,000 houses, three mosques and four schools were damaged last month. Thousands of people need humanitarian assistance. Saiq said the flood also damaged agricultural land and 2,500 animals died in the floods.