Death toll in east Afghanistan rains rises to 47

Kabul: The death toll from heavy rains in eastern Afghanistan rose to 47 on Tuesday, a local official said, with 350 injured by the deluges.

Intense storms lashed eastern Nangarhar province on Monday evening, sweeping away trees and collapsing the walls and roofs of buildings.

Saifullah Khalid, head of Nangarhar's disaster management authority, confirmed the updated toll and said some 400 homes had also been demolished by the torrent.

The tragedy comes after flash floods in May killed hundreds and swamped swathes of agricultural land in a country where 80 percent of people depend on farming to survive.

Among the poorest countries in the world, Afghanistan is particularly exposed to the effects of climate change which scientists say is making extreme weather more common and severe.

This year, Afghanistan witnessed an unusually wet spring after a very dry winter.

The Taliban government regularly announces support for those affected by natural disasters.

But most foreign missions and aid organisations left the country when they took over in 2021, shrinking the assistance available to Afghans.