At least 20 people have been killed in flash floods triggered by heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan's eastern Nuristan province. The catastrophic floods have destroyed homes, hotels, and numerous shops, while many others remain missing as rescue operations continue.

The information was reported by Al Jazeera on Monday, July 20.

According to the report, disaster management officials and the provincial governor's office stated that Monday's floods destroyed numerous houses and shops in Nuristan's main city of Parun.

In recent weeks, the impact of seasonal rains has caused widespread devastation across the entire region, leading to numerous deaths in India and Nepal as well.

Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDEMA) reported that at least 20 bodies have been recovered so far, with over 80 people injured.

These casualties occurred in Parun and surrounding areas of Nuristan, near the Pakistan border.

The governor’s office stated that several regional government workers, including the mayor of the provincial capital, remain missing.

Officials from the provincial disaster management department have launched search and rescue operations to locate the missing individuals and recover bodies.

Ashiqullah Safi, head of the local non-governmental organization Chapol (Shapul), told AFP that "the entire municipal area has been completely destroyed" by the floods.

He added that hotels and dozens of shops were ruined, and massive boulders are scattered across various parts of the city as floodwaters recede. Local residents are searching for missing persons among the debris without necessary equipment.

Like neighboring Pakistan and India, Afghanistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to extreme weather. Seasonal rains, in particular, frequently trigger major disasters in the country.

The monsoon season, which began in June of this year, has caused widespread suffering across South Asia, with heavy rains sparking successive floods and landslides in multiple countries.

Reports published on Monday indicated that at least 25 people were killed in floods and landslides across northern and northeastern India.

The city of Parun is located 465 kilometers (290 miles) from Indian-administered Jammu, where flash floods have also caused extensive damage.

Neighboring Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that since mid-June, seasonal rain-induced floods, landslides, and lightning strikes have killed 27 people in the country, with one person still missing and 69 others injured.

Mawlawi Motiul Haq Khalis, head of Afghanistan's National Environmental Protection Agency, stated earlier this month that the frequency of floods in the country has increased, warning that environmental issues have "deepened the humanitarian crisis."