Flash floods and storms kill at least 18 in Afghanistan
May 4, 2022, 4:37 pm

Flash floods and storms kill at least 18 in Afghanistan

The latest deluges wracked Afghan provinces of Faryab and Parwan, as well as various other regions (Photo: Twitter)

The Anews reported, citing the AFP, an Afghan official said Wednesday (May 4) that flash floods and storms killed at least 18 people after ravaging several provinces of Afghanistan over the past five days.

Scores of Afghans die every year in torrential downpours, particularly in impoverished rural areas where poorly built homes are at risk of collapse.

Deputy minister for disaster management Sharafuddin Muslim said the latest deluges wracked the provinces of Faryab and Parwan, as well as various other regions.

In a video statement, Muslim said "18 to 20 people have been killed across 10 provinces" and that more than 100 houses were also destroyed.

Two people remain missing while 30 others have been injured.

Western nations are wary that any assistance could be commandeered by Kabul's new rulers, consolidating their grip on government (Photo: Pixabay)

He said that relief teams have been despatched to the affected areas with tents and food and the authorities are distributing cash to families of those killed.

Since the Taliban stormed back to power in August last year foreign-funded aid and disaster relief schemes have dramatically fallen off.

Taliban arrest Daesh ‘mastermind’ of Shiite mosque attack in Afghanistan

Western nations are wary that any assistance could be commandeered by Kabul's new rulers, consolidating their grip on government.

Rescue efforts have therefore fallen to the Taliban themselves, who have been waging an insurgency for the past twenty years and have little experience in emergency management.

This year's flooding also came as the country observed Eid al-Fitr holidays after the fasting month of Ramadan ended on Saturday in Afghanistan.

Antonio Guterres urges donors to halt Afghanistan’s economy ‘death spiral’

During the last two weeks of Ramadan, Afghanistan witnessed several deadly bombings primarily targeting the minority Shiite and Sufi communities. Daesh claimed many of these attacks.

Source: anews

London's long-delayed Crossrail to open on May 24 UK bans services exports to Russia and sanctions Russian media outlets

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”