At least 5 killed, 17 missing in heavy rains, floods in western Afghanistan

 HERAT, Afghanistan–At least five people were killed and 17 others went missing after heavy rains and floods hit Afghanistan's western province of Herat, a local official said Tuesday.

"Five people were killed and 17 others went missing when flash floods engulfed vast areas in Adraskan, Zawol and Obe districts of Herat province over the last 24 hours," Jailani Farhad, a provincial government spokesman, told Xinhua. The floods also swept away tens of residential houses, lands and orchards in the districts and demolished a large part of Herat-Kandahar highways in Shindand district, resulting in closure of the roads to traffic, the spokesman added.

The rescue team began operation in the affected districts, where nearly 100 households have so far been shifted to safe areas, said the spokesman. One person has also been reported dead after the Kabul river flooded in the country's capital, where the government issued a warning asking people to leave flood-prone areas and houses located at the two banks of the river, as the rising overflow was uncontrollable.

Since March 28 this year, as many as 130 people were killed and 200 others sustained injuries due to torrential rains and heavy floods across the country. The floods have also destroyed up to 4,000 houses completely and 5,000 others partially and demolished over 27 km of roads, mostly in northern Badakhshan, Kunduz and western Farah provinces. Enditem ---