Death toll climbs to 81 in Afghan flooding

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AFGHANISTAN — A provincial official says 81 bodies have been found two days after a devastating flash flood in Afghanistan’s mountainous and remote north.

Lt. Fazel Rahman, the police chief in the Guzirga i-Nur district of Baghlan province, said Sunday that the death toll had climbed from 54 to 81 and that police and villagers were still searching for missing people after flooding hit several villages on Friday.

Rahman said 850 houses were completely destroyed and more than 1,000 were damaged by the heavy rain and flooding, leaving thousands of people in need of shelter, food, water and medicine.

Guzirga i-Nur district is located more than 140 kilometers (85 miles) north of the provincial capital, Puli Khumri, but is an eight to nine hour journey from there because of the rugged terrain.