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Afghanistan avalanche toll tops 300
More than 300 people have been killed in a series of avalanches triggered by heavy snowfall in 18 provinces of Afghanistan, there is the possibility the death toll could rise still further.
According to Ariananews reporters the bulk of the deaths came in Panjshir and Badakhshan provinces, where at least more than168 people were killed.
“We’re facing a real crisis because of the depth of the snow,” said Mohammad Aslam Syas, deputy chief of the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority.
Rescuers were using shovels and their hands to scoop away snow from the estimated 100 homes destroyed or damaged in the avalanche, which followed heavy snow storms on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Panjshir’s acting Gov. Abdul Rahman Kabiri said President Ashraf Ghani was due to inspect the damage to the northern reaches of the valley later on Friday.
Irrigation is not extensive in Afghanistan, most of which is semi-arid, and aid efforts over the past decade or more have focused on trying to extend it, with mixed results.