CEO Abdullah Abdullah said on Monday during the Council of Minister’s meeting that emergency aid was being delivered to people affected by the recent snowstorms and avalanches that hit the country in the past few days.

Abdullah said 22 provinces have been badly affected by the severe weather.

He also said that the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) is working hard to address the people’s problems.  

Abdullah said that authorities on Monday managed to reopen Salang Pass in Parwan province to traffic.

He also said that at least 100kms of road needs to be cleared around the country in order for them to be reopened.

He said this was going to be a big task and called on the people to help.  

Abdullah’s address comes after severe weather continued Sunday to grip the country. Officials reported dozens of people had been killed in avalanches which resulted in road closures almost countrywide.

In Nuristan, the provincial governor,  Hafiz Abdul Qayoum, confirmed at least 45 people were killed and 16 others injured in an avalanche that hit a village in the Barg-e-Matal district on Sunday.
 

Badakshan in the north had also been particularly hard-hit with roads into 17 districts closed. So far 18 people have died due to the bad weather in that province.
 

Earlier Sunday officials confirmed at least 16 people, including two women, had been killed and five others injured in avalanches on Saturday night in Parwan. 
 

Kabul city also experienced heavy snowfalls overnight Saturday which led to government declaring a public holiday early Sunday morning. Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul was also closed Sunday which affected all incoming and outgoing flights.