Floods in Afghanistan have killed 300 people and destroyed 1,000 homes, according to the UN.

Afghans shovel mud from a house after flooding in a village in Baghlan province. Photo: ATIF ARYAN/AFP via Getty

Flash floods Unusually heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan have killed more than 300 people and destroyed at least 1,000 homes, the UN food agency said on Saturday.

The World Food Program said it was distributing fortified cookies to survivors in one of them. Of the numerous floods that have hit Afghanistan over the past few weeks, the northern province of Baghlan bore the brunt of Friday's floods.

The official death toll from the devastating flash floods was lower because of the Taliban's hinterland. The ministry estimates the number at 153 people in three provinces.

People view the devastating effects of flooding in Baghlan. Photo: Mehrab Ibrahimi/AP < p>In neighboring Takhar province, state media reported that at least 20 people were killed in the floods.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government's chief spokesman, wrote on X that “hundreds… have become victims of these catastrophic events” . floods, with a significant number of people injured.”

Mujahid named the provinces of Badakhshan, Baghlan, Ghor and Herat as the most affected.

He added that “large-scale destruction” led to “significant financial losses.”

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

An Afghan man carries his belongings along the street of the village of Lakikha. Photo: AFP via Getty

On Saturday, the Defense Ministry said the country's air force had already begun evacuating people in Baghlan, rescuing large numbers of people stranded in flooded areas and transporting 100 wounded to military hospitals in the region.

Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, said at X that the floods were a stark reminder of Afghanistan's vulnerability to the climate crisis, and that both immediate assistance and long-term planning from the Taliban and international players are needed.

Bodies lie on the ground after flooding in Baghlan province Photo: Mehrab Ibrahimi/AP

Videos posted on social media show dozens of people gathered outside a hospital in Baghlan on Saturday in search of your loved ones.

An official tells them they should go and start digging graves while their staff is busy preparing the bodies for the burial ceremony.

Officials previously said at least 70 people died in April Human. from heavy rains and flash floods in the country.

About 2,000 houses, three mosques and four schools were also damaged.