At least 60 people have perished across Afghanistan over the past three weeks due to relentless snowfall and heavy rainfall, the country’s Disaster Management Ministry announced on Wednesday.
“Initial information from the provinces indicates that 60 people have died and 23 others have been injured due to snow and rain since February 20,” Ministry spokesman Janan Saqib stated in a press release.
The harsh weather conditions have also caused damage or destruction to 1,645 homes across the country and led to the loss of approximately 178,000 livestock, Saqib added.
In the western Herat province, a sudden downpour since Monday evening claimed the lives of five members of a single family and injured two others when the roof of their home in the provincial capital collapsed, according to Abdul Zaher Noorzay, a local natural disaster official.
Noorzay informed the media that emergency aid has not yet been distributed to those affected in the flood-stricken areas but is expected to arrive on Thursday.
The collapsed house had sustained damage from earthquakes that struck the region, like many homes in the province, earlier in October, according to Naqibullah, the imam of one of Herat’s mosques, who spoke to AFP.
The tragic events highlight the devastating impact of severe winter weather in Afghanistan, where communities remain vulnerable due to a combination of factors, including poverty, limited infrastructure, and the lingering effects of conflict.
