United News of Bangladesh

Heavy snowfall and rainfall over the last three days have left at least 61 people dead and more than 110 injured across Afghanistan, disaster management officials said on Saturday, as rescue efforts were hampered by blocked roads and isolated villages. According to National Disaster Management Authority spokesman Yousaf Hammad, the extreme weather has fully or partially damaged 458 houses and killed hundreds of livestock in 15 of the country’s 34 provinces. He added that the casualty figures could rise as more information becomes available from affected areas. Afghanistan remains highly exposed to extreme weather, with heavy rain and snow frequently triggering flash floods that claim dozens, and sometimes hundreds, of lives. In 2024 alone, spring floods killed more than 300 people nationwide. The impact of such disasters has been intensified by decades of war, fragile infrastructure, economic hardship, widespread deforestation and the growing effects of climate change. Remote regions are particularly at risk, as many homes are made of mud and provide little protection against severe weather. Read More: Winter storms dump snow and ice across New England Eastern Afghanistan is also still recovering from powerful earthquakes that struck in late August and again in November last year, destroying entire villages and killing more than 2,200 people. People displaced by the earthquakes are especially vulnerable to harsh winter conditions. In December, UNICEF warned that about 270,000 children in quake-affected areas faced a serious risk of life-threatening cold-related illnesses. Earlier this month, the United Nations said Afghanistan is expected to remain one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises in 2026. The UN and its partners have launched a $1.7 billion appeal to provide emergency assistance to nearly 18 million people in need.