Rescue effort ends after deadly Badakhshan disaster

FAIZABAD (PAN): The rescue operation to find survivors and assist victims of a massive snow avalanche ended on Thursday in northeastern Badakhshan province, after 40 dead bodies were retrieved from the snow, officials said.

The massive avalanche in Shiki district late on Monday buried an entire village, Deh Pasin, leaving a large number of people, including women and children, trapped, the governor said.

Shah Waliullah Adib said all the trapped residents had been rescued during the operation that continued till Thursday morning.

Without giving an exact figure for the wounded people taken to hospital, he said seven of them were said to be in a critical condition.

Those with slight injuries were discharged from the public health department and other clinics after first medical aid, Adib told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Deputy Governor Shams Rahman Shams said the Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers helped rescuers provide food and other items to the affected families.  Other aid-giving organizations had also provided tents, furniture and food items to the victims.

Shams added the FOCUS NGO had provided tents, furniture and some foods to the affected families.

The rescue teams had been dispatched to the area by ANA helicopters, the Afghanistan National Disasters Management Authority (ANDMA) head, Sanaullah Amiri said.

The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) also provided 500 pieces of warm items, he said, adding the ARCS officials would also provide food items to the survivors soon.

Local officials say nearly 121 people had so far been killed and more than 112 others wounded as a result of harsh weather and avalanches over the last three months.

mrh/frm/ma

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