“Heavy snowfall led to a landslide which has killed over 25 people and injured eight others in the eastern Afghan province of Nuristan”, a disaster management ministry spokesman said on Monday.
Earth, snow and pieces of broken brick swept through the village of Nakre in the Tatin Valley of Nuristan overnight on Sunday.
In a video clip spokesman Janan Sayeq said, “As a result of the landslide, some 25 people have been killed and eight injured”. He also said that the death toll could rise.
Nuristan province, which borders Pakistan, is covered by mountainous forests and hugs the southern end of the Hindu Kush mountain range. Mohammad Nabi Adel, the head of public works in the province said, “Due to clouds and rain, the helicopter cannot land in Nuristan”. Adel said snow had blocked one of the main roads into the province due to which the rescue operation is difficult.
The provincial head of information and culture Jamiullah Hashimi told, “ Around 20 houses were destroyed”.
He also said, “It is still snowing. Rescue efforts are underway and the number of dead may increase”.
The arrival of snow this year was delayed across much of Afghanistan, which is regularly too harsh winters.
According to the United Nations, “Afghanistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change”.
Officials said there has been less snowfall in Nuristan as compared to previous years.
Adel said, “This year we had little snow and it didn’t last for long”.
Afghanistan is one of the world’s poorest countries which is prone to natural disasters and vulnerable to extreme weather.
The South Asian country was once flush with humanitarian help following the US-led occupation but funding to Afghanistan has dropped since the Taliban returned to power in mid-2021 because of the many restrictions it imposed on women.
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