By NNN-Bernama
Kuala Lumpur : With almost 2,000 people killed from the unprecedented severe cold weather since December, Afghanistan is bracing for the worst with the coming of spring next month.
Afghan diplomat at its embassy here Abdullah Shariat Kakar said the danger now was severe flooding in many parts of the country with the melting of snow at the outset of spring which is due to start on March 21.
Preparations were underway to head off the worst with more than 540,000 sandbags and thousands of other barriers brought to the affected areas to provide protection to the vulnerable communities, he told Bernama in an interview here Friday.
He said it was not an easy task as most of the roads to remote areas had been cut off by avalanches from the mountains, especially in the central, north-eastern and western provinces of Afghanistan.
“Many villages have been destroyed under the mountain of snow,” he said. Abdullah said about 300 people, including 90 in western Afghanistan, had had their limbs amputated due to frostbite.
“The victims of frostbite are increasing every day and most have had their fingers and toes amputated. The victims are not just men and women but even children,” he said.
Cattle were not spared either as almost 235,000 have succumbed to the severe winter.
“In my living memory, I’ve never seen such a destructive freezing, snowing winter,” said the 52-year-old Abdullah.
The situation was grimmer as food prices for basic items in local markets were high. Abdullah hoped the Muslims would join hands to assist the affected Afghans who were in dire need of basic humanitarian aid such as tents, foodstuff, winter clothing, medicine and blankets.
He said the World Food Programme had in October last year appealed for additional food assistance for the 2.5 million Afghans until the next harvest in June this year.