At least 20 people were killed when a boat sank while crossing a river in eastern Afghanistan Saturday morning, a Taliban official said.
Quraishi Badlon, provincial director of the information and culture department in Nangarhar province, said that the boat sank while crossing a river in Mohmand Dara district, killing 20 people including women and children.
Flash floods due to unusually heavy seasonal rains kill at least 68 people in Afghanistan
Badlon said that the boat was carrying 25 people, according to village residents, of whom five survived.
So far five bodies have been retrieved including a man, a woman, two boys and a girl, said the Nangarhar health department in a statement. It added that a medical team and ambulances were sent to the area.
Flash floods in northern Afghanistan sweep away livelihoods, leaving hundreds dead and missing
The officials didn’t provide details on the cause of the accident and said that rescuers are still searching for other bodies.
Residents of the area frequently use locally made boats to travel between villages and local markets.
Flash floods kill over 300 people in Afghanistan after heavy rains: UN