A street vendor freezes in Kabul.Image: EPA
January 24, 2026, 5:33 p.mJanuary 24, 2026, 5:33 p.m
Heavy snow and rain in Afghanistan in recent days has killed at least 61 people and injured 110 others. This was announced by the responsible civil protection agency. In addition, the storms completely or partially destroyed around 450 houses within three days, it said. These are preliminary figures. Emergency teams are on the move in the affected regions and the number of victims could rise.
The snow is making the already difficult humanitarian situation precarious.Image: EPA
Around half of the country’s provinces are affected, especially in the north and center of Afghanistan. Because of the snowfall, the Salang Tunnel – an important traffic axis that connects the capital Kabul with the northern provinces – is closed. The responsible ministry said the closure has already been in effect for three days. Meteorologists expect snow and rain to continue over the next two days.
According to the UN emergency relief office OCHA, Afghanistan remains one of the largest humanitarian crisis areas in the world. Millions of people are dependent on help. The reasons include extreme weather events, droughts, food shortages and weak infrastructure. (sda/dpa)
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