:2017 Afghanistan avalanches
{{Infobox event
| title = 2017 Afghanistan avalanche
| image = Nuristan in Afghanistan.svg
| image_size =
| caption = Nuristan in Afghanistan
| date = 4 February 2017
|type = Snowstorm, avalanches
|place = Pakistan, Afghanistan
| reported deaths = 100+{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/06/asia/avalanche-afghanistan-pakistan/|title= Severe avalanches, many dead|work= CNN|date= February 6, 2017}}
| reported injuries = 60+
| reported missing =
}}
The 2017 Afghanistan avalanches were a series of avalanches that struck villages on the Afghanistan–Pakistan border between February 4 and 6, 2017. More than 100 people reportedly died in the disaster,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38872941|title= Hundreds of people died in avalanches|work= BBC News|date= February 5, 2017}} including more than 50 people in Nuristan Province and at least 19 people in the neighbouring Badakhshan area of Pakistan's Chitral region. Dozens of homes and fhams were destroyed, and hundreds of animals died due to the avalanches.{{cite web|url=http://m.indiatoday.in/story/afghanistan-avalanches-50-dead/1/875653.html|title= Afghan avalanches| work= India Today|date= 6 February 2017}} In Pakistan, the affected areas included regions of Balochistan, Mastung, Kalat and Kharan.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}
Heavy snowfalls also led to blockage of roadways in the mountainous regions. On February 5, 2017, a public holiday was declared by the Afghanistan government, due to the heavy snowfall across the country. Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, expressed his condolences{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38895445|date=February 7, 2017|title=Iran helps victims of Afghanistan avalanches|work=BBC News|accessdate=February 10, 2017}} to the families that had lost members during the avalanches. Subsequent operations by the Afghan National Army provided emergency aid to the people of the Barg-e-Matal District in Nuristan.{{cite web|url=http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/ana-delivers-aid-people-affected-nuristan-avalanches|title=ANA, delivers aid to people affected in Nuristan|date= 7 February 2017|work= Tolonews|accessdate=9 February 2017}}
About
Extreme winter weather containing heavy snowfall in the region resulted in avalanches.{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/snow-northern-afghanistan-pakistan-dead/3706777.html|title=Snowfall results in avalanches|work=Voanews|date=February 6, 2017}} A team of rescue operators was brought in by Afghanistan officials to help the victims. The United Nations humanitarian coordinator pledged to support the rescue operations, along with the Afghanistan government.
Aftermath
A report on the Nuristan avalanche was released by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), providing details on the avalanches and the loss of life in the incident.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} As reported by the Red Crescent, most of the houses that collapsed were poorly constructed from clay and mud bricks.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} Red Crescent volunteers distributed sleeping bags, blankets, tents and tarps to help the victims of the avalanches. Reportedly, the Afghan Red Crescent Society said that around 2,617 families (15,702 individuals) had been affected by the avalanches.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/afghanistan-nuristan-avalanche-flash-update-8-february-2017 Nuristan Avalanche 2017]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Afghanistan avalanches, 2017}}
Category:2017 natural disasters