Heavy snowfall in Kabul

In the old town of Kabul, after heavy overnight snowfall, a flurry of snow clearing commences as young and old tread gingerly across mud roofs clearing the snow. Kabul, Afghanistan. 08/02/2010.

Despite the drive to develop and modernise Kabul City, there are still many houses built with the traditional hard-packed, layered mud roof. The skills and materials required for this type of construction are widely available and cheaper than less traditional building methods. However, with mud comes maintenance. On mornings like this the snow must be cleared or else water can leak into the building causing damage and discomfort within.