Deadly floods sweeping Afghanistan have put the celebrated minaret of Jam — one of the country’s most revered cultural, architectural and historical treasures — at risk of collapse, an official warned on Saturday.
The Ministry of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs said the new floods have killed at least 24 people and injured 11 more.
The rainfall has also threatened the minaret of Jam, a more than 800-year-old, 65-m Islamic religious tower and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in central Ghor province.
“Water has surrounded the minaret. We have hired about 300 locals to help divert the flow of water,” said Abdul Hai Khatebi, a spokesman for the Governor of Ghor.
The minaret is located in a remote area that is largely under Taliban control.
