DUSHANBE, February 28, 2015, Asia-Plus – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has extended condolences to his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Ashraf Ghani over deadly avalanches that claimed many lives, according to the Tajik president’s official website.

In his cable of condolences that was sent on February 27, Rahmon asked to convey his deep condolences to the fraternal people of Afghanistan.

AFP reports at least 260 people have been killed in a series of avalanches triggered by heavy snowfall around Afghanistan this week.  

The bulk of the deaths have come in Panjshir province, north of Kabul, where at least 186 people were reportedly killed.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, 36 died in the remote northeastern province of Badakhshan, five in northern Baghlan, five in Parwan and 12 in Nuristan and Kunar provinces in the east, and five in western Badghis.  Six were killed in the central province of Bamiyan, four in Laghman and one in Nangarhar, both in the east - bringing the total toll to at least 260.