Avalanches triggered by heavy snowfalls have killed at least 28 people in Afghanistan and the death toll is expected to rise.

Avalanches triggered by heavy snowfalls have killed at least 28 people in Afghanistan and the death toll is expected to rise, officials said on Wednesday.

Most of the victims were in Panjshir province north of Kabul, where two days of heavy snow have blocked main roads, making it difficult for rescue workers to reach the affected villages.

Deadly avalanches are common in Afghanistan's high mountainous areas in winter.

Some 15 people were pulled from the snow suffering frostbite and other injuries, the governor said.

Afghanistan has had a largely mild and dry winter, but large parts of the north experienced heavy snowfalls over the last 48 hours.

Parts of the capital Kabul were hit by power cuts on Tuesday and Wednesday after snowstorms and avalanches damaged power cables in the Salang Pass, which links the city to the country's north.

The pass remained closed to traffic on Wednesday.