BREAKING NEWS: Over 78 people die in Afghanistan due to freezing temperatures

Government officials in Afghanistan say over 78 people have died due to freezing temperatures after the country is hit with one of the worst winters in over 15 years. 

Afghanistan’s government has said that at least 78 people have died due to freezing temperatures, as the country is witnessing its coldest winter in more than a decade.  

As per official data, 34 provinces in the country have reported deaths, after the temperatures were recorded as low as -34 degrees Celsius (-29.2 degrees Fahrenheit).  

Authorities have also said that over 77,000 livestock have also died in the past nine days, creating further problems for the country already facing severe food insecurity.  

“The weather will get colder in the next few days, therefore it is necessary to consider humanitarian aid for affected people,” said Abdullah Ahmadi, the head of the operations centre for emergency conditions at the Ministry of Disaster Management, as cited by Reuters.  

Meanwhile, several aid groups have also been reported to have suspended their operations resulting in stalling several humanitarian programs, since the Taliban´s announced their decision to stop most female NGO workers from operating in the country. 

As per the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), restrictions on female workers have greatly hampered efforts to deliver aid. 

A statement released by the agency said, “Humanitarian partners are providing winterization support to families, including heating, cash for fuel and warm clothes, but distributions have been severely impacted by the … ban on female NGO aid workers”. 

It further added, “Humanitarian partners are providing winterization support to families, including heating, cash for fuel and warm clothes, but distributions have been severely impacted by the … ban on female NGO aid workers”.  

Health workers in the area had earlier reported a substantial increase in the number of serious pneumonia cases recorded in young children. 

The state of the country´s economy has further resulted in people being pushed into poverty and being unable to heat their homes, during this extreme winter wave.   

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