Over the past two weeks, heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures have resulted in the deaths of 104 people, including women and children, according to a spokesman for the Ministry of Natural Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs. The deaths occurred in various parts of Afghanistan, including Takhar, Badakhshan, Nimroz, Kandahar, Laghman, Ghazni, Uruzgan, Jawzjan, Sari Pul, Faryab, Paktika, Balkh, Samangan, Bamyan and other regions. The spokesman also noted that many deaths occurred as a result of gas leaks or carbon monoxide poisoning due to the use of coal, wood, or liquid gas for heating in areas without access to proper heating systems.
The extreme cold weather began in the first week of January, with temperatures dropping as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country.