Snowfall brings joy and problems in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): The residents of capital Kabul on Sunday said they were happy with the ongoing snowfall but it created some problems too.

In years, Kabul was showered with snowfall entire Saturday night. However, the snow has also created problems for traffic on Kabul roads.

Farid Joyan, a resident of Kabul who was throwing snowballs with his friends, said it was the blessing of God.

He said the snowfall not only cleared the polluted weather of Kabul, but also kindled hope in people’s heart about peace.

Despite bringing joys to Kabul dwellers, the snow and freezing weather also created problems for tent dwellers, poor people and drug addicts who are living under the Pul-i-Sukhta Bridge and on roads.

Nazia, a tent dweller in Chaman Babrak area of Kabul, who lost two of her family members to freezing weather last week, said those living in tents were suffering from painful problems.

“My mother-in-law died last week, and three days later, one of my sisters in law also lost her life to severe cold,” she said, adding that her husband and one of her sisters in law were ill from the past one week.

She said they lacked food and firewood to keep their tent warm as well as her children were also without footwear.

A Pajhwok reporter entered to a tent on the outskirts of Kabul and saw a 50-year-old woman shivering due to severe cold. 

Officials said at least 40 people lost their lives and another 16 sustained injuries in avalanches and freezing weather during the past three days in 25 provinces of the country.

Shema, another tent dweller in Kabul, said they were living in the tent over the past eight years but no organizations had so far asked about their problems.

Around 40 families lived in tents in Chaman Babrak area of Kabul city. Most of the tents were too old and torn up and the weather inside and outside could not be differentiated.

On the other hand, drug addicts also complained about cold weather and said three to five addicts daily lost their lives since the arrival of winter in Pul-i-Sukhta area.

Mohammad Reza, one of the addicts whose hands were shaking due cold, said that they faced huge problems due to severe cold. He confirmed up to five addicts daily succumbed to cold under the bridge.

mds/ma