Security forces on Monday night rescued more than 700 people trapped in snow along the Kabul-Kandahar Highway in areas in Ghazni province, local officials said on Tuesday.
 
The officials said a number of armored vehicles belonging to police were also trapped in snow during the rescue mission. 
 
“Last night, there was a heavy storm therefore our armored vehicles were frozen and we could not go further. Even we could not see one meter in front of us due to the storm. A number of police force members could have died during the rescue mission,” Ghazni police chief Aminullah Amarkhail said. 
 
Meanwhile, a number of the rescued passengers said they would have lost their lives if security forces did not arrive at the scene.
 
“Security forces did a good job. They came here in the afternoon and worked till about 1am at night and rescued the passengers. Many passengers would have died because of the cold weather and the storm if the security forces did not arrive,” a passenger said.
 
“Women were also trapped in the snow storm. The security forces rescued all of us,” another passenger said.
 
Another passenger said: “They [police force members] rescued at least 80 to 90 people and transferred them to safe places.”
 
As per reports, 150 people have died, over 100 others wounded, 700 houses destroyed and almost 2,000 cattle died due to heavy snowfalls in 16 provinces in a month.
 
“Roads have been reopened and we did not have any casualties. The heavy snowfalls and the snow storms could have taken thousands of lives if relevant offices did not coordinate and cooperate with each other,” said Ahmad Khan Naafe, head of emergency conditions department of the Afghan National Disasters Management Authority.