At least 61 people have been killed in Afghanistan over the past three days due to snowfall and heavy rain, the country's Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) said on Saturday.
The Disaster Management Authority said in a post on social media that 61 people have been killed, 110 injured, and 458 houses have been partially or completely destroyed in the snowfall and rain over the past three days.
According to the information published by the organization, the casualties occurred mainly in the central and northern provinces of the country between Wednesday and Friday.
A spokesman said a total of 360 families had been affected by the disaster. In a video message, he urged people to avoid unnecessary travel on snow-covered roads.
The spokesman told AFP that most of the casualties were caused by roof collapses and avalanches, with many also dying from extreme cold in sub-zero temperatures.
The emergency department in southern Kandahar province said six children died when the roof of a house collapsed due to strong winds and heavy rain on Wednesday. Damage to homes was also reported in other districts.
Authorities in Parwan province, north of Kabul, said the Salang Highway, one of Afghanistan's main roads, had been closed. The highway is a key link to Afghanistan's northern provinces. In addition, many tourists were stranded in the central mountain pass in Bamyan province, west of the capital. However, food was distributed to them.
Meanwhile, a transmission line importing electricity from Uzbekistan was damaged on Thursday, leaving residents of about 12 provinces without power.
"Our technical team is ready, but they are unable to reach the accident site because the Salang Pass is closed," said Mohammad Sadiq, a spokesman for Afghanistan's national power company, DABS.
Heavy snowfall and rain have destroyed shops and killed livestock in various parts of the predominantly rural country.
According to the United Nations, nearly half of Afghanistan's population of more than 40 million will need humanitarian assistance this year as foreign aid has plummeted in recent years. Natural disasters such as earthquakes and droughts make the struggle for survival even more difficult.
.png)
0 Comments