Afghanistan tunnel avalanches kill 150 in Salang Pass

10/02/2010| IslamWeb

At least 150 people have been killed in a series of avalanches that have blocked a mountain pass north of Kabul, Afghan officials say.

Rescuers are trying to reach hundreds more people who are trapped in their vehicles in the Salang Pass.

Some 2,500 people have been rescued so far, but scores more are feared buried following several days of heavy snow.

More than two dozen avalanches have hit the pass since Monday, blocking 2.1 miles (3.5km) of road.

'Frozen bodies'

Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary told the AP news agency rescuers had recovered 157 bodies from the road, which connects the Afghan capital with the north, over the past two days.

Officials said crews were working to clear the route near the Salang tunnel for ambulances, bulldozers and other road-clearing equipment.

"There are many other cars swept away," Gen Mohammad Rajab, the head of the Kabul-Salang highway, told Reuters news agency.

"The death toll may rise as we dig out dozens of other frozen bodies."

The area is often affected by heavy snow and has been hit by avalanches in the past, the BBC's Martin Patience says from Kabul.

On Tuesday, Afghan Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar fended off questions as to why the road had been open in the first place, insisting the situation had appeared manageable until snowstorms unexpectedly struck.

Meanwhile, an Indian soldier was killed but 13 others were rescued after a second avalanche in two days in Kashmir.

The snow struck an army post on Tuesday in Indian-administered Kashmir, along the Line of Control adjoining Pakistani-administered Kashmir, officials said.

At least 17 Indian soldiers were killed on Monday when an avalanche hit a military training camp in Indian-administered Kashmir, the army said.

PHOTO CAPTION

Afghans being evacuated from a road near the Salang tunnel

BBC