From correspondents in Kabul, Afghanistan, 06:03 PM IST

At least 12 people were killed and 12 wounded when avalanches in northern Badakhshan province of Afghanistan buried their houses, the Interior Ministry said Thursday.

A police team was sent to Raghistan district to help extract the people from under the destroyed houses and snow, the ministry said in a statement. It said the wounded were taken to provincial hospital.

This year Afghanistan has been experiencing greater rains and snowfalls after six years of severe drought that badly damaged the plantations in the country and caused animal deaths.

The rain has caused severe flooding and mudslides in various parts of the country, leaving at least a dozen of people dead in the past fortnight through out the country.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)