Victims of the recent floods in Bamiyan province have appealed for urgent help, reporting that the deluge has destroyed their homes and livelihoods.
According to local sources, the floods have claimed 19 lives, although Taliban officials have reported 17 fatalities. Residents say that several victims are still missing.
Mohammad Allah, a resident of Yakawlang district, tragically lost ten family members in the floods, ranging from a three-year-old child to his 65-year-old father. “Six have been found, and four are still missing,” he said.
Another resident of Yakawlang recounted his losses: “Ten of my family members were swept away by the water, leaving five of us behind. The flood took my house, my life, and everything I had. Now, I am waiting for food.”
Over the past week, the districts of Saighan, Shibar, and Yakawlang in Bamiyan have experienced devastating floods.
A Bamiyan resident stated, “Approximately 19 people have died, including one traveler, while the rest were locals.” Most of the victims are children. “The flood took my three children, destroyed my house, and took everything I had,” said one victim. Another added, “I lost a two-year-old grandchild and another two-year-old grandchild from my daughter.”
Among those searching for missing family members is a father whose 15-year-old daughter, a sixth-grade student, is still unaccounted for. “My fifteen-year-old daughter is still missing, and her body has not been found,” he said, with tears in his eyes.
Survivors now face the pressing challenge of finding shelter, food, and water, as the floods have ravaged their communities. However, they report that no assistance has arrived yet. “The flood took away shops, houses, and people’s investments. It took my shop, my house, and my car,” said Nikbakht, another Bamiyan resident.
Local Taliban officials have reported that dozens of houses and hundreds of acres of land have been destroyed in several villages. They acknowledge the struggle to provide necessary aid to the affected people, who are desperately awaiting help to rebuild their shattered lives.
