More than 300 people were killed in flash floods that ripped through multiple Afghan provinces, the UN’s World Food Programme said Saturday, as authorities declared a state of emergency and rushed to rescue the injured. Heavy rains on Friday sent roaring rivers of water and mud crashing through villages and across agricultural land in several provinces. Survivors on Saturday picked through muddy, debris-littered streets and damaged buildings, as authorities and non-governmental groups deployed rescue workers and aid, warning that some areas had been cut off by the flooding. Baghlan province was one of the hardest hit, with more than 300 people killed there alone, and thousands of houses destroyed or damaged. Disparities between the death tolls provided by the government and humanitarian agencies were noted. The UN’s International Organization for Migration reported 218 deaths in Baghlan, while the government’s toll stood at 131, with the possibility of a rise. In addition to Baghlan, other provinces including Takhar, Badakhshan, Ghor, and Herat also experienced heavy damage. Afghanistan, a poverty-stricken nation heavily dependent on agriculture, faces significant challenges in the aftermath of the floods. Farmland has been submerged, affecting a population where 80 percent depend on agriculture for survival. The impact of climate change has only intensified the country’s vulnerability. The floods serve as a reminder of Afghanistan’s dire situation and the urgent need for immediate aid and long-term planning to address the consequences of the floods.