At least 70 people have died as a result of a severe cold snap in Afghanistan, AFP reports.

The mercury gauge has fallen in Kabul and several other provinces since Jan. 10, and the central district of Ghor recorded its lowest ever -33C over the weekend.

In the countryside, homeless families escaped the cold by huddling around fires, while in the snow-covered capital, the luckier ones warmed themselves with coal-fired heaters.

The Ministry of Disaster Management reported that 70 people and 70,000 head of cattle, a vital commodity for the poorer sections of Afghan society, have died in the past eight days.

According to images posted on social media, roads were blocked in several central and northern provinces due to heavy snowfall.