KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Heavy snowfall and rainfall over the past three days have killed at least 61 people and injured 110 across 15 provinces in Afghanistan, the Taliban-run National Disaster Management Authority said on Saturday.
Mohammad Yousuf Hamad, a spokesperson for the authority, said the casualties occurred in Kabul, Parwan, Panjshir, Bamyan, Daikundi, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Herat, Ghor, Badghis, Faryab, Sar-e Pol, Balkh, Samangan, and Nuristan.
Hundreds of livestock were also killed in the severe weather, while at least 458 houses were fully or partially damaged, affecting 360 families, Hamad said.
The figures are preliminary and likely to rise as assessment teams reach remote mountainous areas where roads remain blocked by snow and ongoing storms, he added.
The Taliban authority had previously reported 11 deaths and three injuries in six provinces, but the toll increased as more reports emerged from affected regions.
Heavy snowfall and rain have hit large parts of the country in recent days, particularly central and northern provinces, including Kabul. The storms have triggered landslides and caused road closures, cutting off transport links to several districts and delaying rescue and relief efforts.
Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, including floods, droughts, and harsh winters, which regularly cause loss of life and widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.
The latest incident follows heavy rains and flooding in early January that killed at least 12 people and injured 11 across 11 provinces, according to Taliban authorities.
