At least 37 people died due to heavy snowfall, rain, avalanches and severe cold in several parts of Afghanistan over the past three days, an official said on Sunday.
Omar Mohammadi, a spokesman for the Afghanistan Natural Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), added that another 16 people were
injured in 25 provinces of Afghanistan.
According to the agency’s records, also 571 animals were killed and 18 houses destroyed.
The north was hit particularly hard. “Sixteen people were killed and more than 10 others injured in Badakhshan and Sar-e-Pul provinces alone when avalanches hit houses,” Mohammadi said.
Many roads, especially in central and northern Afghanistan, remained closed. The Salang Highway connecting northern with central
Afghanistan and crossing high mountains has witnessed 33 avalanches since last week, the ANDMA representative added.
Afghan media reported that dozens of passengers were trapped by the snow in their vehicles in mountainous Bamyan province where temperatures fell below minus 15 degrees Celsius in recent nights.
The weather on Sunday compelled the central government to declare a nationwide holiday. Afghanistan’s international airport in the
capital Kabul was closed.
Kabul (dpa)
