Kabul, Jan 22 (IANS) At least 11 people have been killed and three others injured amid heavy snowfall and rains lashing multiple provinces in Afghanistan, according to a spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Authority on Thursday.
According to the spokesperson, initial reports from provincial authorities indicate that severe weather has affected residents in the provinces of eastern Parwan, Wardak, southern Kandahar, northern Jawzjan, Faryab, and central Bamiyan, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The storms have partially destroyed nine homes and led to the loss of 530 livestock, severely affecting local livelihoods in these agrarian regions, said the spokesperson, adding that the snow accumulation has blocked key roads, prompting urgent clearance operations by authorities to restore connectivity and facilitate aid delivery.
Most areas of Afghanistan have experienced continuous rain and snowfall since Wednesday. The country’s meteorological department forecasts that the precipitation will continue across much of the nation in the coming days.
Earlier this month, Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) offering medical humanitarian assistance to people, had warned that the expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan is causing a serious humanitarian crisis, especially during winter season, endangering the lives of people, local media reported.
In a report released on January 7, MSF stated that many of the expelled refugees are being placed in temporary camps which do not have proper shelter while access to healthcare, clean water and food remains extremely limited, Afghanistan’s leading news agency Khaama Press reported.
The organisation further stated that forced deportations impact undocumented migrants, Afghan citizenship cards holders and temporary registration cards (POC) holders, making situation dangerous as winter increases across the region.
Xu Weibing, the head of MSF mission in Pakistan, stated that Afghan families face fear of deportation and returning to Afghanistan. They also continue to urge the international community to provide humanitarian and protective assistance.
MSF stressed that the winter season becomes a silent killer for Afghan refugees if they do not have access to adequate shelter, medical care, and food, threatening the survival of many vulnerable people.
–IANS
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