Faizabad, Nov 30 : Heavy snowfall and freezing weather have claimed the lives of three children in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, a local official said on Saturday.

The tragic incident took place in Nawabad village of the Raghistan district on Friday afternoon, where the three children travelling to another village lost their lives on the spot due to heavy snowfall and severe cold conditions, Provincial Director for Information and Culture Hekmatullah Mohammadi said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Heavy snowfall and cold weather have also caused road blockades in some provinces, including the Salang Pass, the essential highway connecting the national capital Kabul to nine northern provinces and onward to Central Asian states.

Badakhshan province experiences severe cold and heavy snowfall annually, which creates significant challenges for its residents.

/IANS