Snowfall, cold snap claim 20 lives in north

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): The recent snow spell and cold snap have killed 20 people and 500,000 animals in northern provinces, an official said on Saturday.

Attaullah Haji Zaid, the Balkh governor’s spokesman, told a press conference the heavy snowfall and cold weather had killed 20 people, including four children, and nearly 500,000 animals in Balkh, Samangan, Sar-i-Pul and Faryab.

He said 78 houses were destroyed in these provinces and the roof of a factory collapsed in Balkh, causing the owner a loss of 10 million afghanis.

The spokesman added a joint emergency committee had been constituted to rescue the people and cattle heads.

The committee had distributed more than 28 million afghanis to effected individuals in the four provinces, he explained.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has promised standing by the people and providing them all possible assistance.

Earlier, 209th Al-Fath Corps officials said they had rescued 1,350 people and 600,000 animals trapped in snow in the four provinces.

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