As severe weather gripped Afghanistan on Sunday, officials reported dozens of people killed in avalanches around the country that have also closed almost all key highways.

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.

Provincial council officials warned that the death toll could rise as a rescue operation was on Sunday evening still underway.

In addition, officials appealed to central government for emergency aid, stating conditions as serious following heavy snowstorms over the past few days.

In addition, all highways from the central area of the country to the north and south were closed following heavy snowfalls over the past three days.

One of the few highways still open on Sunday was the Kabul-Jalalabad highway, officials confirmed.

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

A resident of Badakhshan, Basir Haqjo said: “Nothing have been done so far (by government). All the roads are still closed and government is completely negligent.” 

“If governments does not pay attention, there will be a humanitarian disaster in Badakhshan,” said Osama Basir, another resident.

Kabul-Mazar-e-Sharif Highway has also been closed – which includes the Salang Pass.

A resident of Mazar, Ghulaam Hussain Akbari, said: “Government must help those who are affected by these snowstorms.”

Officials reported that the northern parts of Salang Pass, in Parwan province, have been hard hit with at least 56 avalanches reported in the past 72 hours.

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

Mohammad Amin Haidari, Parwan provincial head of disaster management, told TOLOnews that the avalanches occurred in Shahi Khail area of Siagard district and Fazil area of Surkh Parsa district.

According to Haidari seven members of one family were killed. 

Several houses and a mosque were also destroyed in the avalanches, Haidari added.

He said that due to heavy snow storms and avalanches there is a high possibility of more avalanches, but that efforts are underway to deliver humanitarian aid to those in need.

According to government organizations, authorities are currently working on highways in 22 provinces – all closed by snow in the past three days.

They said it will take at least a week before these highways are reopened.

State Minister for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs Wais Ahmad Barmak said: “In central, north-eastern [parts of the country], and Ghor and Ghazni the highways are completely closed.”

Government said the heavy snowstorms over the past few days were unexpected but that they are distributing aid where possible.

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.

Airport officials said snow and ice on the runway had forced them to cancel flights.

The highways to Faryab, Jawzjan, Sar-e-Pul, Badakhshan, Panjshir, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Bamiyan, Daikundi, Zabul, Baghlan, Ghor, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Kabul and Herat provinces, among others, are closed, according to government officials.