Flash floods have killed more than 50 people in northern Afghanistan, washing away hundreds of homes and forcing thousands to flee, officials say, warning that the death toll was expected to rise.
The floods have hit the remote mountainous district of Baghlan province.
"People have lost everything they had - houses, property, villages, agricultural fields, cattle," Baghlan police spokesman Jawed Basharat said on Saturday.
"There's nothing left for them to survive. People don't even have drinking water," he added. "They urgently need water, food items, blankets and tents."
Afghan disaster management officials said they were scrambling to get food and medical aid to the area after torrential rains unleashed the floods.
Officials recovered scores of dead bodies from the area, including women and children, with several people said to be missing, according to a spokesman for the provincial governor.
"Heavy torrential rains followed by flash floods have killed more than 50 people in Guzargah-e-Nur district of Baghlan province," Mahmood Haqmal told AFP, warning that the initial death toll was expected to rise.
"These floods have forced thousands of people to flee their houses, and move to safer areas."
The governor of Guzargah-e-Nur, Noor Mohammad Guzar, told AFP the death toll was 66.
"Yesterday's floods have destroyed four villages, and washed away 2000 residential houses, agricultural fields and also killed thousands of cattle," Guzar added.
Officials were assessing the extent of the damage on life and property in the affected area, the deputy head of the National Disaster Management Authority said .
"Our teams have also provided some edibles (food items) and medication to the affected people. More aid will get there soon," said Mohammad Aslam Sayas.
But Basharat, the Baghlan police spokesman, claimed that the affected families had received no assistance so far from the central government or relief agencies.
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