KABUL, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and 10 others injured due to an avalanche in northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province on Thursday, said Hedayatullah Hamdard, provincial director for the National Disaster Management Authority, on Friday.
The avalanche struck a hotel located along the main highway at the Salang Pass in Khinjan district on Thursday evening, killing one person on the spot and injuring 10 others, some of whom are in critical condition, the official added.
The mountainous Salang Pass, which connects the Afghan capital Kabul to the country's northern region, has seen heavy snowfall over the past couple of days and remained closed to traffic on Wednesday and Thursday.
According to Hamdard, rescue teams have saved about 60 other travelers from snowstorms and moved them to a nearby hotel.
Earlier on Thursday, Hafiz Mohammad Yusuf Hammad, a spokesperson for the country's National Disaster Management Authority, confirmed that 11 people had died across the country due to snowfall, rain, and chilly weather. ■
