At least 20 people have died and more than 80 others were injured after severe flash floods struck Afghanistan's remote Nuristan province on Monday, according to officials.
The national disaster management agency confirmed that the deluge caused extensive damage in Parun, the provincial capital. Rescue teams are working to recover bodies and assist the injured.
Feraidon Samim, a spokesperson for the Nuristan governor, reported that 105 individuals, including the local mayor, remain missing.
The flash flood devastated the riverside market area, destroying infrastructure.
Ashiqullah Safi, head of a local NGO, said the flooding "completely destroyed the municipality." He noted that massive boulders were deposited across the area by the water.
Community members are conducting search operations without specialized equipment.
Matiul Haq Khalis, head of Afghanistan's environmental protection agency, stated that recent floods "have severely affected the Afghan people and have contributed to a humanitarian crisis in the country."
He earlier noted that flooding incidents across the nation have escalated.
The disaster management agency continues search and rescue operations in the affected region.
