QALA-I-NAU (SW) – Authorities in Badghis provvince say passengers trapped under heavy snowfall have finally been rescued.
Local officials in Badghis say all the passengers trapped in the snow in Sabzak Dam are in the province have been rescued by the rescue team of the Public Works Department of the province.
Mohibullah Asadi, the deputy governor of Badghis, said that the highway in Sabzak Dam area was opened to traffic yesterday evening and all passengers and vehicles were rescued.
According to the officials, none of the passengers were injured on this route and all of them went to Qala-i-Nau, the center of Badghis and onward to Herat.
The day before, the deputy governor of Badghis said that the number of vehicles stuck on this route was more than 15.
The Badghis – Herat highway was blocked on Friday evening due to heavy snow and storms.
Preliminary findings of a joint UN and NGO assessment in Qadis District in western Afghanistan [Badghis Province] indicate that up to 1,000 houses were damaged or destroyed by the 5.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the district on 17 January.
According to information received from local sources, the number of deaths due to the earthquake has risen to 27.
ENDS
