Hundreds killed by a landslide in Afghanistan

Up to 2,500 people may have died in northeastern Afghanistan because of several landslides Friday. Authorities have only confirmed the death of 300 residents of the remote district of Argo, in the province of Badakhshan, but there are still many missing. However, with little chance of finding life and fear of new landslides have led today to stop the rescue efforts and focus on the evacuation and housing of 700 families whose homes were in the danger zone.

“We have a list of 300 confirmed dead,” said Adib Waliwallah Shah, the provincial governor, was quoted by Agence France Presse.

The UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) last night spoke of 350 dead echoing figures advanced by local authorities. But the reality is that nobody knows for sure how many people have been buried by the torrent of mud and rocks that Friday morning razed the village of Barik Aab, where several hundred families lived. According to the deputy governor, Mohammad Bedar, a first detachment affected two mosques where the faithful gathered for prayer, and the second buried who came to rescue them.

Earlier, the governor was quoted by television TOLONews estimated 2,500 dead. His spokesman, Naweed Forotan, told Reuters that “at least 2,100 people from 300 families ” had perished. However, Bedar said then that ” the first figures were the result of evidence” not of their technical teams, and was confident of not exceeding five hundred dead.

In any event, unparalleled catastrophe for the people of Barik Aab, which has been turned into a cemetery and is part of one of the poorest in one of the world’s poorest countries provinces. Badakhshan, bordering Tajikistan, China and Pakistan, and was affected by the torrential rains of the previous week. Moreover, dozens of deaths, water damaged his precarious road network, which is now preventing the arrival of aid.

The Afghan Army has moved its rescue helicopter. Also an excavator, the only mechanical means available to remove the mud. Until then, the neighbors had just received some hands and shovels to search for possible survivors. It was an impossible and dangerous work because tons of rocks and mud have it swallowed about 300 houses. Only eight people have been rescued, according TOLONews. The risk of further landslides has made the authorities interrupted tasks and concentrate on the care of the displaced.

” We asked 700 families to leave their homes because the hillside is unstable, and need urgent help,” said the governor. Given the average size of the Afghan family, that means about 4,000 people left homeless. Some found refuge in a nearby village, but tents and blankets were insufficient. In addition, at night temperatures drop below zero.

The main needs are water, food, medicine and emergency shelter, explained Ari Gaitanis, a spokesman for UNAMA. A team from the World Food Program has moved to the site to distribute food rations. NATO forces have offered to help the Afghan government and many foreign leaders have expressed their condolences.

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Posted by Jamshed Sindhu on May 5 2014. Filed under World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.