MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, May 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people were killed and 23 others wounded after heavy torrential rains caused fresh flooding in two Afghan northern provinces, authorities said Saturday.
The seasonal disasters happened over the past 48 hours, in Charhar Kint, Chimtal, Shulgara and Khulm districts of Balkh province, resulting in the death of eight people including women and children and injury of two others, Sayyed Sarwar Housaini, spokesman of 707 Pamir Police Zone based in the region told Xinhua.
Hundreds of acres of lands have also been washed out and several villages have been seriously affected by the flooding in the province, he said, adding security forces provided emergency aids for people in some affected areas.
In neighboring Takhar province, rain, strong winds and floodwaters continue to plague residents in Rustaq, Chal Farkhar and Worsaj districts, killing nine people and injuring 21 others, according to Abdul Khalil Asir, provincial police spokesman.
The flooding also washed away up to 200 acres of farmlands in the province and closed highway extending to the neighboring Kunduz province.
Heavy rains and flooding have killed 34 people and injured four others elsewhere in the country over the past 10 days, according to officials of the Afghan Natural Disaster Management Authority.
