Avalanche, floods kill 17 in Afghanistan
Pastor Dale Morgan
Avalanche, floods kill 17 in Afghanistan*
19 Mar 2007 13:17:52 GMT
Source: Reuters
KABUL, March 19 (Reuters) - At least 17 people have been killed in
Afghanistan in an avalanche and floods triggered by heavy rain and
several villages were inundated, officials said on Monday.
Twelve people, including women and children, were killed in the
avalanche in the central province of Ghor on Sunday, deputy-governor
Ikramuddin, who uses only one name, said.
Five people died in flash floods in the western province of Badghis,
also on Sunday, another official said.
Floods had also hit several villages in Uruzgan province and NATO-led
troops had launched rescue operations, the alliance said in a statement.
Aircraft had been deployed to evacuate about 1,000 people in the
province as the Helmand river, which runs through Uruzgan, was rising,
it said.
The rains had also damaged or destroyed several mud houses in the rugged
and remote province, an Afghan official said.
Many parts of drought-stricken Afghanistan have received heavy rain in
recent days, residents said.