Come to streets, we’ll serve you water’: Nasir

Rescue teams and local residents are continuing a desperate search for around 100 people missing after a powerful flash flood swept through eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 23 people and leaving widespread destruction across Nuristan province. The flood struck the remote provincial capital of Parun on Monday, sending huge volumes of water, mud and massive rocks crashing through homes, shops and public buildings. Authorities said the number of missing remains high as emergency workers struggle to reach areas buried under debris. Residents have joined the search using wooden poles, shovels and even their bare hands as heavy machinery has proven largely ineffective in the rugged mountainous terrain. A bulldozer was deployed to remove some rubble, but rescue operations remain slow because of the enormous boulders and thick layers of mud covering parts of the town. Many survivors described the disaster as unlike anything they had ever experienced. Farid Gul Zaheer, a local pharmacist, said the flood arrived with incredible force and compared the terrifying moment to an earthquake. He said people were screaming as they rushed to escape and he was injured while climbing higher ground to save himself. The flood has caused extensive damage across Parun, destroying markets, hotels and dozens of businesses. Local officials confirmed that the city’s mayor and several government employees are among those still missing, raising fears that the death toll could increase as rescue operations continue. Hotel manager Zakirullah Zaki said almost every business in the area had been wiped out by the flood. Although his hotel remained standing, it was surrounded by destruction. He said his younger brother, who had been missing after the disaster, was later found. The Afghan Red Crescent Society has deployed volunteers to help search for survivors and provide emergency assistance to affected families. Relief teams are distributing food, clean drinking water and tents to people who have lost their homes while continuing efforts to locate those trapped beneath the debris. Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry has also sent military personnel to support rescue operations in the disaster zone. The United Nations has begun assessing the scale of the damage and humanitarian needs in the affected region. Survivors say the emotional impact of the disaster has been devastating. Zaheer said he had lost everything and described the community as deeply traumatised after spending a sleepless night fearing further danger. The severe weather has also affected neighbouring Pakistan, where heavy rainfall and flooding have claimed additional lives in recent days. The back to back disasters have once again highlighted the growing threat of extreme weather across the region. Afghanistan remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate related disasters. Flooding has become more frequent in recent years, worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis. Earlier this year, heavy rains and floods across Afghanistan and Pakistan killed more than 200 people, causing widespread damage to homes, farmland and infrastructure. Environmental experts have repeatedly warned that climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events in Afghanistan, placing millions of people at greater risk as communities continue to struggle with poverty, displacement and limited disaster response resources.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a high-powered task force to reform the country’s examination system following weeks of student-led protests over alleged irregularities in major entrance exams. The announcement came a day after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, as the government faced growing pressure from students and opposition groups demanding changes to the examination process. Modi said the new task force would be headed by Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of technology company Infosys. The panel will focus on improving the examination system and making it more transparent, reliable and technology-driven. In a video message posted on social media, Modi said the government wanted to restore confidence in upcoming examinations as quickly as possible. He stressed that the system must ensure greater transparency and make effective use of technology. The protests had been led in large part by supporters of the social media-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Thousands of students and young people gathered at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over several weeks, making the demonstrations among the most significant anti-government protests in India in recent years. The movement initially focused on alleged problems and irregularities in examinations, but its demands later expanded. Protesters also raised concerns about unemployment, limited opportunities for young people and what critics described as the government’s increasingly authoritarian approach. The protest site was largely cleared on Sunday. Municipal workers washed the surrounding roads and began repainting walls covered with slogans, posters and graffiti. Some protesters criticised the decision to remove the writings, saying the messages represented an important record of the movement. Rahul, a protester who had visited the site, said demonstrators had photographed and recorded the posters and slogans before they were removed. He said they wanted the material to remain documented and remembered. Some young people who travelled long distances to participate in the demonstrations arrived after the protest had already ended. One 19-year-old participant said he had travelled for around 20 hours after seeing videos of the demonstrations on Instagram. He said he wanted to witness the atmosphere and join other young protesters. Another visitor accused the government of worsening the situation by attempting to suppress the demonstrations. He argued that the crackdown had contributed to the protests becoming larger.