Three days of avalanches leave 186 dead in northeastern Afghanistan

At least 186 people have been killed by a series of avalanches in northeastern Afghanistan. The increased death toll came on Thursday as crews struggled to clear incredible amounts of snow that buried several homes, according to officials.

A local official said there wasn't enough equipment available to clear the way and rescue people believed to be trapped.

The avalanches began on Tuesday in Panjshir Valley about 95km outside of Kabul. Recent snowfall has blocked a major road connecting the city to northeastern Afghanistan, further hindering efforts to bring relief to the disaster site.

The amount of snow - almost two metres in some places - was described by elderly villagers as unprecedented for the last decade.