70 killed by extreme cold last week, IEA confirms

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 70 people have died due to extreme cold in Afghanistan in the past eight days, the government said on Thursday.

Maulvi Abdullah Mohammadi, an official of the state ministry for natural disaster management, said 70 people lost their lives over the past eight days across the country.

In a video clip, the official said about 70,000 animals also died of cold during the period in the country.

He added highways that had been closed for traffic due to harsh weather and snowfall had been reopened.

With cooperation from foreign organisations, he said, the ministry had distributed food and non-food items, as well as cash aid to about 500,000 families.

“We were deeply moved to learn that a number of our compatriots have lost their lives in some provinces due to severe cold,” read the statement.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan expressed its condolences to the families and relatives of the deceased.

“Relevant departments and officials of the Islamic Emirate are directed to help the affected families as much as they can and to use all their resources to prevent more casualties,” the statement said.

According to officials of the Islamic Emirate, the temperature dropped considerably in most provinces over the past two weeks. In Ghor, the mercury dipped to minus 33 degrees Celsius last week.

sa/mud

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