Flights cancelled as floods hit Balkh airport

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (PAN): Floods hit the airport in northern Balkh province, forcing a suspension of all civilian flights over the past three days, an official said on Friday. 

At least 20 people have been killed and nearly 2,000 households affected by the floods in the provincial capital, Mazar-i-Sharif, and three nearby towns — Sholgar, Kushanda and Charkant.

Floodwaters also gushed into the airport’s terminal and runway, cancelling civilian flights over the last three days, the airport security chief told Pajhwok Afghan News.

The floodwater would be pumped out in the next 12 hours, Khan said, explaining that the airport’s portion used by NATO-led troops had been unaffected.

Munir Farhad, the governor’s spokesman, acknowledged the flooding had also damaged some airport terminal equipment. He hoped the problem would be resolved later in the day.

A Kam Air official based in Mazar-i-Sharif confirmed the airline operated one Kabul flight daily. However, all its flights have been cancelled since Tuesday.

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