Salang Pass, Other Major Highways Closed After Heavy Snowfall
Heavy snowfall and storms have forced the closure of several highways and transport routes across Afghanistan, including the Salang Pass, officials said on Thursday.
Heavy snowfall and storms have forced the closure of several highways and transport routes across Afghanistan, including the Salang Pass, officials said on Thursday.
A spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Public Works said snow depth in North Salang has exceeded four metres, while in South Salang it has reached nearly three metres. Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas said ongoing storms and snowfall have hampered snow-clearing operations in the area.
Several regional roads have also been closed. Routes linking Bamiyan province to the districts of Yakaolang and Panjab are shut, as are roads connecting Parwan and Ghor provinces. In Daikundi province, the Khadir, Qonaq, Kumi and Shahristan–Miramor routes have been closed. Roads in several districts of Ghazni province, including Nawur, Ajristan, Malistan and Jaghori, are also impassable.
Taliban officials said routes connecting Khost and Paktia provinces have likewise been closed due to severe weather.
Images published from Maidan Wardak province show heavy snowfall, while snow continues to fall in Herat province.
The Ministry of Public Works has urged travellers and drivers to check road conditions before setting out and to carry essential supplies, including warm clothing, food, fuel and tyre chains, when travelling on snow-covered routes.
