The people of Afghanistan have been inflicted by tragedies, one after another for decades. The crisis in the state that is already going through agonies has increased due to the freezing cold. At Least 70 people died in the last 8 days due to the drastic drop in temperatures in the region.
In addition to the people, 70,000 livestock failed to survive the bitter cold and died. It should be noted that people in poverty-stricken rural areas of Afghanistan are mostly dependent on these animals for their income.
Since the second week of this month, the temperature in different parts of Afghanistan has dropped to negative. For instance, the central region of Ghor recorded a temperature of minus 33 degrees Celsius on Sunday.
According to Mohammad Naseem Moradi, head of Afghanistan’s meteorological department, compared to previous years, the winter is much longer and more intense this time. The wave of cold is likely to continue for a week or two, he added.
In rural Afghanistan, displaced people huddle around bonfires to ward off the cold, while in the capital, Kabul, the use of coal heaters has increased.
The decrease in humanitarian aid activities and the freezing of Afghanistan’s assets after the Taliban came into power have also contributed to worsening the situation. NGOs operating in Afghanistan also suspended their work after the Taliban banned them from working with women’s groups last month.
People, hence, are deprived of even the little help that they previously got. According to aid groups, “At present, almost half of the population of Afghanistan is suffering from hunger, while around 4 million children are starving.”