The death toll from the flash floods caused by torrential rain in central Afghanistan has risen to at least 30, a disaster ministry official said on Sunday.
Mohammad Shafi Rahimi said 26 of the deaths occurred in Jalrez district, 46km east of Kabul, after rain washed away hundreds of houses, most of them built of earth, and four people died in Kabul.
More than 70 were injured in both the districts, he said, adding that at least 40 others were missing, believed to be under the rubble of collapsed homes.
Aid is being sent to the worst-hit area of Maidan Wardak province west of Kabul, said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Majid in a tweet.
He issued a condolence message, calling on aid groups and the Kabul administration to help the bereaved families, adding that all authorities have been ordered to provide assistance to the people in need.
Flash floods are a regular occurrence during Afghanistan's wet season, wreaking havoc on the country's poor infrastructure.
Fifteen people were killed on Sunday after becoming trapped by floodwaters during a wedding party in Maidan Wardak, the Hasht e Subh newspaper reported
More than 600 homes have been partially or completely destroyed since Friday in the province's district of Jalrez, Mr Rahimi said at a news conference, and the floods have also destroyed large swathes of farmland.
At least 214 people have been killed in natural disaster-related incidents in the last four months, he said.
The motorway between Kabul and the central Bamiyan province is also closed by floods.
Afghanistan is one of the world's most climate vulnerable countries.
Droughts and landslides in the wet season are likely to become the norm as climate change worsens, the UN has said, piling pressure on a country heavily reliant on agriculture.
Other parts of Asia have also been hit by severe flooding in recent weeks.
Floods in northern India triggered landslides and killed 22 people in July, while Delhi saw record levels of rain.
Thousands of people living along the banks of the Yamuna river were also ordered to leave their homes as it reached unprecedented levels, with authorities warning of potential foods.
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
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• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
FIGHT CARD
Welterweight Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Tohir Zhuraev (TJK)
Catchweight 75kg Leandro Martins (BRA) v Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Flyweight Corinne Laframboise (CAN) v Manon Fiorot (FRA)
Featherweight Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB)
Lightweight Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) v Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG)
Featherweight Yousef Al Housani (UAE) v Mohamed Arsharq Ali (SLA)
Catchweight 69kg Jung Han-gook (KOR) v Elias Boudegzdame (ALG)
Catchweight 71kg Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
Featherweight title Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
Lightweight title Bruno Machado (BRA) v Mike Santiago (USA)
SHAITTAN
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