Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall have forced the temporary closure of the Salang Pass, one of Afghanistan’s most important transport corridors, Taliban said on Friday.
The Taliban-run Ministry of Public Works said flooding in northern part of the Salang Pass had halted traffic through the mountain pass, which connects Kabul with northern Afghanistan.
The ministry also said the Takhar-Badakhshan highway had been closed in the Qara Kamar area after floodwaters inundated the route.
The closures come as flooding in recent days has disrupted transportation networks across several provinces and damaged roads and infrastructure.
According to the Taliban’s National Disaster Management Authority, at least 250 people have been killed and 344 injured in flood-related incidents across Afghanistan since March 26.
The agency said more than 17,300 families have been affected during that period, while thousands of acres of farmland and orchards have been damaged.
Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters and regularly experiences flash floods, droughts and other extreme weather events. Aid agencies and climate experts have warned that decades of conflict, environmental degradation and weak infrastructure have increased the country’s exposure to the effects of climate change.
