Afghanistan: Power Cuts Leave Helmand Shivering

An unusual cold snap combined with an almost total power blackout has left Helmand residents shivering in their homes.

Most of households, even in the capital, Lashkar Gah, have no electricity at all. Others get it for no more than an hour or two per day – just enough to turn on their water pumps to fill their cisterns.


Even government offices are affected. Work in some places is almost at a standstill, while the local media is unable to broadcast much of the time.