Several Nuristan highways reopen

JALALABAD (PAN): Several key highways in eastern Nuristan province were reopened for traffic after remaining closed for four days due to heavy snowfall, officials said on Thursday.

The roads reopened included a 60-kilometre road that connects the provincial capital, Paroon, to the Chapa Dara district in neighbouring Kunar province, a 50-kilomentre road linking central and eastern parts of Nuristan and a 35-kilomentre road between Paroon and Wanth Waigal district, the deputy governor said.

Qazi Mohammad Nabi Ahmadi told Pajhwok Afghan News the one-metre snow was removed from the roads after about 500 youth joined the snow-removing campaign.

Snow-removing machines of construction companies and the public works department were used during the campaign, he said.

There have been no casualties from the recent snowfall in the province, the governor’s spokesman, Mohammad Zarin, said.

Roads including Kunar-Paroon, Kamdesh-Paroon, Bargimatal-Paroon, Wama-Paroon and Wanth Waigal-Paroon have been reopened so far, he said.

However, three districts in western part of the province remain cut off from the provincial capital due to road blockades, he said.

myn/ma