Six victims were previously reported.
The accident occurred after heavy snowfall covered part of the country.
“It’s still snowing. Rescue operations are underway, the death toll may rise,” Jamiullah Hashimi, the provincial head of information and culture, told AFP news agency.
In the village of Nakre, located in the Tatin valley of Nuristan, an avalanche swept through the night on Sunday, covering the houses with snow and debris.
About 20 houses were destroyed or badly damaged, Mr. Hashimi added.
“Due to clouds and rain, the helicopter cannot land in Nuristan,” said Maulvi Mohammad Nabi Adel, the provincial head of public works.
He added that the snow had blocked one of the main roads into the province, making the rescue operation even more difficult.
The province of Nuristan, which borders Pakistan, is largely covered by mountainous forests, with its southern end at the edge of the Hindu Kush mountain range.
This year, much of Afghanistan, which is used to harsh winters, saw snow fall later than usual.
The extremely low rainfall on which agriculture depends has forced many farmers to postpone sowing.
Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, torn by decades of war, suffering from natural disasters and vulnerable to extreme weather related to climate change.
After the US-led invasion of the country, a large amount of humanitarian aid was directed to Afghanistan, but after the Taliban returned to power in mid-2021, aid to Afghanistan dropped sharply, mainly due to various restrictions on women.
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2024-05-05 03:30:40