Floods, Landslide Kill 17 People in 24 Hours

Severe flooding, a landslide, and thunderstorms in parts of Afghanistan left 17 people dead and 26 injured over the past 24 hours, with more heavy rainfall predicted, authorities said Sunday, the latest casualties from extreme weather in the country this season. The number of casualties could increase as crews from the National Disaster Management Authority survey the affected areas, spokesman Yousuf Hammad, said in a statement. Thirteen of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, mostly in the western, central, and northwestern parts of the country, were affected, the AP reports.

The severe weather also left 147 homes destroyed or damaged, wiped out about 50 miles of roads, and destroyed agricultural land, irrigation canals and businesses, Hammad said. In all, he said, 530 families were affected. Heavy rainfall was also forecast to affect eastern and central parts of the country Monday, and Hammad warned flooding was also possible in those areas. The disaster management authority warned residents to avoid river banks and areas at risk of flooding in those regions, and ordered local officials to be on standby to provide assistance. Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country.