Locals in the districts of Darayim, Sheghnan, Raghistan, and Nusay in Afghanistan’s northeastern province of Badakhshan have confirmed to KabulNow that avalanches caused by heavy snowfalls have killed as many as 11 people and wounded at least 2 in the last few days, as well as causing damage to homes.
The Nusay district has been hit the hardest, where at least four people were killed in two avalanches on Monday. Locals have said they fear the weather conditions may caused further avalanches. Heavy snowfalls have cut the district off from the provincial capital Faizabad.
Taliban authorities in the area have failed to respond and provide help to those affected, locals complain, who had rely on basic farming equipments to rescue people. In Sheghnan and Raghistan districts, the villagers managed to save three lives, they said..
According to the Taliban’s district governor of Raghistan district, a couple and their children were buried by an avalanche hitting their home. The community only managed to rescue the couple.
Last week, locals sources confirmed that heavy snow falls had cut off 13 districts of Badakhshan from Faizabad, making rescue efforts difficult in remote areas.
Afghanistan has been experiencing one of the harshest winters in the past decade. The extreme weather conditions have killed more than 166 people and tens of thousands of livestock across the country.
