Flood kills 30 people in N. Afghanistan

KABUL - Up to 30 people including women and children lost their lives in downpour and flash floods that showered the northern Baghlan, Samangan and Takhar provinces on Sunday night, officials said Monday.

"Rainstorms and flash flood killed 12 people and washed away several houses in Burka district of Baghlan province Sunday night," director of Natural Disaster Management Authority in Baghlan province, Nasir Kohzad, told Xinhua.

Rainfall and flood also claimed the lives of six more people in neighboring Samangan province on Sunday night, spokesman for Samangan provincial government Sediq Azizi said.

Twelve more people had also lost their lives in Bangi and villages around Taluqan districts of northern Takhar province due to downpour and flooding on Sunday night, official Abdul Razaq Zinda confirmed in talks with Xinhua.

Rainfall and flood killed 23 more people in the western Badghis province on Saturday night.