Rains, snowfall cause casualties, losses of properties

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Four persons including women were killed and a minor girl was injured in separate weather-related incidents in Ghazni province.

Heavy snow was witnessed in Ghazni city and other districts in the past two days, Ghazni governor’s spokesman Muhammad Arif Noori told Afghan Islamic Press (AIP). A man and a woman died of extreme cold in Pashi Aliya area in Lamistan district, he said.

Two women having gynae-related issues could not reach to hospital due to closure of roads in Waghaz and Gero districts. A minor girl was injured when the rooftop of a house collapsed in Haft-e-Asiyab village.

Fourteen cattle perished when the rooftops of two rooms collapsed in Sulemanzai village in Deh Yak district, he said.

Twelve houses were damaged due to heavy rains in Zara Haar area of Ghazni, Haft-e-Asiyab area of Waghaz district, Sagai area of Zankhan, Pashi Aliya and Seh Pai areas of Malistan district, Qalindar Khel area of Khugiyani, Pani and Mohib Alagh villages of Gero and Merai area of Andar district. A mosque collapsed in Urosagai village while a private gymnasium collapsed in Tauheedabad area in Ghazni city. The ground routes of 18 districts remained closed with Ghanzi.

The Kabul-Kandahar highway remained closed in the past two days due to heavy rains and snowfall. The officials are trying to reopen the paths.

Interior ministry officials said the routes had been reopened for traffic. People could use the roads, he added.

In a separate incident, the roof of a house collapsed due to heavy rains in Chaparhar district of Nangarhar province. A person was killed and his wife was injured in the incident.

A hotel collapsed in Kandahar city. Resultantly, 11 persons were wounded.

People suffered casualties and losses of properties in Khost and Paktiya provinces.

Over 100 cattle perished in Nadir Shah Kot and Spera districts of Khost due to heavy rains and snowfall. Eleven houses also caved in. Three persons were injured in the incident.

Khost governor’s spokesman Talib Mangal told AIP that assistance was being provided to affected people. He vowed that all the affected families would be provided assistance forthwith.

Natural disasters management chairman in Paktiya Shadam Khan Hilal said three houses collapsed due to heavy rains in Zazi Aryub district. A minor was injured and about 30 cattle perished, he added.

Teams had been sent to the affected areas to conduct survey of affected people.

The recent rains and snowfall caused casualties and losses of properties in Helmand, Farah, Herat and Maidan Wardak. However, accurate information could not be gathered about losses and casualties so far.

National Security Advisor Dr. Hamdullah Mohib directed the security forces to provide immediate assistance to the affected families.

Meanwhile, Taliban expressed grief over the losses of precious lives and properties due to rains and snowfall in various parts of the country.

In a press release, Taliban urged the concerned agencies to provide assistance to the affected people. They also directed their fighters to assist the stranded and needy people.

Former president Hamid Karzai also expressed grief over the losses of lives and properties in these incidents. (AIP)