Snow, heavy rain kill 61 in three days in Afghanistan
A Taliban security personnel stands guard at a checkpoint during snowfall in Kabul on January 22, 2026. Photo: AFP
Snow and heavy rain have killed 61 people in Afghanistan in the last three days, the disaster management authority (ANDMA) said on Saturday.
The deaths occurred between Wednesday and Friday, mainly in central and northern provinces of the country, according to a map released by ANDMA.
The “initial figures of casualties and destruction” also include 110 injured people and 458 houses either partially or fully destroyed, ANDMA said on X.
Initial Figures of Casualties and Destruction caused by Snowfall and Rain in the last Three Days!#آمادگی_پاسخ_بازسازی#چمتووالی_ځواب_وینه__بیارغونه#AfghanistanNDMA pic.twitter.com/dvTxbVUyDu
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A total of 360 families have been affected, a spokesman said in a video message, asking people to avoid unnecessary travel on snowy roads.
The Salang highway, one of Afghanistan’s main roads, has been closed, the provincial authority for Parwan said.
Food supplies were distributed to travellers stuck on a mountain pass in the central Bamyan province.The spokesman also told AFP that most of the casualties were caused by roof collapses and avalanches, while many also died from frostbite in sub-zero temperatures.
The emergency department in the southern province of Kandahar said six children were killed when the roof of their home collapsed in strong wind and heavy rain on Wednesday.
Houses were also damaged in other districts.
The Salang highway, one of Afghanistan's main roads, has been closed, authorities in Parwan province north of Kabul said. The highway is a vital connection to Afghanistan's northern provinces.
Food supplies were also distributed to travellers stuck on a mountain pass in central Bamyan province, west of the capital.
A transmission line importing electricity from Uzbekistan was also damaged on Thursday, leaving households in almost 12 provinces without power.
"The technical teams are ready but cannot reach the area because of the blockage of Salang pass," said Mohammad Sadiq, the spokesman for Afghanistan's national power utility DABS.
The heavy snow and rain also destroyed shops and killed livestock in different parts of the predominantly rural country.
"Snow and rain, when managed properly, contribute positively to Afghanistan's environment and livelihoods," the Kabul Times daily wrote in an editorial.
"However, without sufficient preparation and timely intervention, these natural phenomena can quickly turn into sources of tragedy," it said.
Around half of Afghanistan's population of more than 40 million people will need humanitarian assistance this year, according to the United Nations, after a sharp drop in foreign assistance in recent years.
Natural disasters such as earthquakes and drought also often compound the daily struggle to survive.