Snowfall makes Ghazni, Wardak roads impassible

GHAZNI CITY/MAIDAN SHAHR (PAN): Residents of Ghazni and Maidan Wardak provinces are faced with numerous problems after the heavy snowfall closed major highways, officials said on Monday.

A thin vehicular movement was seen in Ghazni, where highways were cleared of snow to some extent, but problems remained, an official at the provincial traffic department said.

Maj. Mohammadullah Ahmadi told Pajhwok Afghan News drivers had been asked to use chained tyres for reasons of safety. Slippery roads often caused accidents, he said.

Driver Nizamuddin said he covered the four-hour distance between Zabul and Kabul in 13 hours due to heavy snowfall. “The snow, recorded at more than 40cm at some points, has made the highway impassible for loaded vehicles.”

Efforts were underway to clear roads of snow in Nawar, Jaghori, Malistan, Andar, Giro and Zana Khan districts, said Mudassir Afghan, the governor’s spokesman.  He added most district roads had been closed since Sunday.

Meanwhile, roads that were closed on Sunday in Jalrez and Behsud districts of central Maidan Wardak province reopened for traffic on Monday.

The Oni Kotal road between Jalrez and Behsud was reopened with the help of public works department officials, said Syed Jawad Honar, the Jalrez district chief.

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