Heavy snowfall in Afghanistan kills 15 people and injures dozens

Nearly 30 people were injured in heavy snowfall in Afghanistan.

Kabul:

According to TOLOnews, widespread snowfall has fallen in many provinces of Afghanistan in the past three days, killing 15 people and injuring nearly 30 others.

Additionally, statistics obtained by TOLOnews from Balkh and Faryab provinces indicate that the recent snowfall has had a devastating impact on livestock, with nearly 10,000 animals killed.

Abdul Qadir, a resident of Sarpur, expressed the general anxiety among the people, saying: “The snow has been falling and it is heavy. People are anxious because their livestock have suffered losses. Many roads are blocked and almost There was no movement.”

Another resident, Amanullah, stressed the urgent need for government assistance, especially for those affected by the plight of blocked roads and hungry livestock.

In response to the crisis, Afghanistan announced the establishment of a committee composed of various ministries to address losses, especially to livestock owners. The authorities have allocated 50 million Afghans to support livestock owners in Balkh, Jawzjan, Badghis, Faryab and Herat provinces.

Misbahuddin Mustaen, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, highlighted the swift response of the committees established in the provinces. These committees are actively working to clear blocked roads, distribute food and feed to affected communities, and rescue people stranded due to heavy snowfall.

Afghan Red Crescent Society spokesperson Elfanullah Sarafzoi said winter service personnel are already in the provinces of Badghis, Ghor, Farah, Kandahar, Helmand, Jowzjan and Nuristan Offering assistance to help those affected by the recent snowfall.

Heavy snowfall has closed major transport routes, including the Salang Pass and access routes to the provinces of Ghor, Badghis, Ghazni, Herat and Bamiyan. Mohammad Ashraf Haksenas, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works, confirmed that the routes were temporarily blocked due to heavy snowfall over the past two days.

Esmatullah Muladi, spokesman for the governor of Faryab Province, reported that heavy snowfall in the province has closed roads in most areas, leaving residents in remote areas in trouble. According to TOLOnews, there were tragic deaths in the Chahar Saada region on the border with Turkmenistan.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)