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| Afghanistan |
| Death Toll in Afghan Avalanches Reaches 165 |
| 2010-02-11 |
| [Quqnoos] At least 165 people were dead more than 200 others have been wounded in avalanches in the Salang Pass. The Afghan security forces are continuing their rescue efforts for the second day to dig out those trapped in the snow. "The death toll of the catastrophic incident has reached 165 and the rescue forces are searching for more passengers," Spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, Zemaray Bashari, said. Rescuers are battling for nearly 48 hours against atrocious weather conditions to reach people and vehicles who have been trapped in the snow. The Afghan forces have found at least 18 people alive, but some in critical health condition, on Wednesday, Bashari added. Avalanches in Salang Pass, the only land-route connecting northern Afghanistan to the capital, Kabul, claim a number of lives each winter. But this one was the worst catastrophe for decades. Monday night and Tuesday morning's snow-slides are the worst for years in the Salang Pass. Rescue teams, helicopters and ambulances were dispatched to the mountaintop at least 10 hours after the avalanches on Tuesday early morning. The Afghan Defence Ministry says they have rescued hundreds of people and taken them to nearby hospitals. Efforts were underway to open the highway on emergent basis, according to officials. |
| Posted by:Fred |