Flash Flood Kills Many in Afghanistan

80 people killed or missing after flash flood destroys 1,000 homes in N Afghanistan

Flash flooding caused by torrential rains and melting snow hit the N Afghanistan town of Sar-e-Pul, the capital of a province with the same name, destroying at least 1,000 homes and leaving more than 80 people dead or missing, authorities said.

Flooding also killed about 3,000 farm animals, and destroyed more than 1,000 hectares of crops  in the provincial capital of Taloqan and six other municipalities, where 2,000 homes were  severely damaged or destroyed, officials added.

Flooding in the two provinces has left about 20,000 people homeless.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• Italy.  At least four people have been killed and more than 50 injured after a strong earthquake measuring 6.9Mw struck 36 km (22 miles) NNW of Bologna, northern Italy early on Sunday, destroying a dozen historic buildings.
  • The quake was epicentered at 44.800°N, 11.192°E, striking at a depth of 5.1 km (3.2 miles), USGS/EHP reported.
• Guatemala. Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupted, ejecting lava and black ash into the air.
  • A column of ash reached a height of about 5,500m above the crater, with lava fountains reaching heights of above 400m, said the National Institute for Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology of Guatemala, INSIVUMEH.

Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupted on May 19, 2012. Image credit: INSIVUMEH

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar