Cold snap kills 150 Afghans amid an endless humanitarian crisis
With temperatures dropping to minus 34 centigrade, the country is going through its worst cold snap in 10 years. The coming months could see both droughts and floods. More than half of the population depends on humanitarian assistance.
Kabul (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Harsh winter cold has killed at least 150 people in the past two weeks with temperatures dropping as low as minus 34 degrees Celsius,
This has aggravated a humanitarian crisis that has ravaged the country after four decades of war and the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, large sections of the population lack the means to buy heating systems. The greatest impact is on the most fragile: women, children, the sick, and the elderly.
This is the worst cold snap in 10 years, but things could get worse in the coming months. In some areas, the effects of years of drought will be felt, while others could be affected by heavy flooding.
Today, more than half of Afghanistan's population depends on humanitarian assistance, while the country’s healthcare system would collapse without development aid.
Some six million Afghans face extreme food insecurity. The banking system has essentially stopped operating, and there are serious problems with electrical power supplies.
The Taliban regime's recent ban on women working in non-governmental organisations has made a bad situation worse, since humanitarian work requires a strong presence of women.
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11/01/2023 17:15
09/10/2023 14:05
