At least 100 people were feared dead in an avalanche that struck villages in the Eastern region of Afghanistan overnight Tuesday, authorities said today.

Some 20 bodies, including that of women and children, have already been retrieved from the avalanche site in the eastern Afghan province of Panjshir.

Like Us on Facebook

The area is 200 kilometers north of the Afghan capital of Kabul.

Authorities, however, feared that the number of fatalities may rise further as rescuers and volunteers continue to search for those reported missing.

The avalanche covered villages in the area several area and most of the house occupants were asleep when the tragedy occurred.

Local disaster officials failed to launch an immediate rescue operation as the roads in the province have been blocked by heavy snowfall.

"We haven't seen this much snow, or this many avalanches, for 30 years," said Abdul Rahman Kabiri, acting governor of the mountainous province of Panjshir.

"If the central government doesn't provide humanitarian support, machinery and food soon, this will turn to a disaster," he said, adding that more than 20 people had been injured.

Parts of Afghanistan have seen snowfall the past days.

Last Sunday, at least 12 people were killed and eight houses were totally wrecked after avalanche hit a village in northern Afghan province of Badakhshan early Sunday, authorities said.

"The tragic incident happened in Kajali village of Raghistan District at wee hours on Sunday, leaving 12 members of a family killed. The bodies were recovered by the locals and a rescue operation was underway later on the day," Sayyed Abdullah, head of the provincial disaster management authority, told Xinhua.

At least eight houses were destroyed as a result of the natural disaster in the mountainous province with Faizabad as its capital, 315 km north of Afghan capital of Kabul, the official added.

TagsAfghanistan Avalanche, Afghanistan disaster