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Freak Flood Brings Ruin To Drought-Struck Afghan Farmers
KABUL, July 13 (News Agencies) - Struggling farmers outside the Afghan capital of Kabul were counting their losses Friday after a freak flood wiped out fields of precious crops and killed hundreds of valuable livestock.
Taliban-run radio reported Thursday that Wednesday's flood forced people in the Maidan-e-Shahr and Narkh districts of Wardak province to flee to the nearby hills.
"They left behind all their belongings," Radio Shariat said.
Some 400 houses, thousands of acres of agricultural land and nearly 500 head of cattle were destroyed by the flood, which swept through the area after heavy rain on Wednesday, according to official reports.
The broadcast said the deluge also caused human casualties, but details were not immediately available. It has asked relief agencies to rush assistance to the affected areas.
The flood in the Maidan-e-Shahr area west of Kabul rubbed salt into the farmers' wounds, as they have been suffering one of the worst droughts in memory, which has struck most of Afghanistan and brought it to the brink of famine.
"The income from my harvest would have been enough for my family's expenditures but now I will wait for the mercy of God and will borrow money from my relatives living in other areas," said Besmillah, a 48-year-old vegetable farmer and father of six.
An individual named Zamarak, 25, lost his house and crops in the flood.
"Now I have lost my crops, my house and my cattle. What else remains for me but to leave for Kabul and find a job there?" he said.
Kabul is already burdened by tens of thousands of villagers who have come in search of work after being driven from their homes by the drought or the ongoing civil war between the ruling Taliban militia and opposition forces.
Another individual named Worakai, of Deh Afghanan village, said he and his neighbors fled into the surrounding hills as floodwaters rose dramatically after just 20 minutes of heavy rain, which pummeled the bone-dry ground.
"When we saw the rain was that strong, everybody escaped to the mountains," Worakai said.
Around 800,000 Afghans have been left homeless by drought and war since mid-2000.
The United Nations has warned the country could face famine unless urgent aid arrives.
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