…The sudden landslide in Torkham hills buried dozens of Afghanistan bound vehicles waiting to cross the border
LANDIKOTAL: So far three dead bodies and four injured persons were confirmed and at least thirty heavy vehicles along with their crew members feared to be buried alive under the landslide debris in Torkham border, officials said on Tuesday.
Deputy commissioner of Khyber Abdul Nasir Khan said all of a sudden landslide from the Torkham hills where dozens of Afghanistan bounded vehicles of imported items were waiting to cross the border. He said around twenty to thirty long vehicles along with their drivers and cleaners feared to be burried alive in the debris of landsliding.
Assistant commissioner of Landikotal Irshad Ali Mohmand told The News that three dead bodies and four injured persons so far have been retrieved from the debris. He said heavey machinries and rescue workers of Pakistan Army, Rescue-1122, Peshawar Development Authority,fire fighters and other volunteers have started rescue operation to rescue the trapped persons from the trucks burried in landsliding debris.
He said the injured and dead bodies were shufted to district headquarters hospital in Landikotal.
Assistant Commissioner Irshad Ali Mohmand,who monitor the rescue opwration, said hectic efforts were underway with the heavey machunary to possibly retrieve the trapped pwrsons. He said they had no perfect idea that how many people have been trapped under the debris. However, he said hundreds of volunteers with the support of heavy machinaries were busy round the clock to save lives.
Meanwhile, emergency was declared in the Landikotal hospitals where health staff were directed to stand by.
Custom official Tamash Khan said some of the trapped persons contacting them through mobile phones and their voices could be heard,asking for help. He said a number of persons were still alive under the huge debris. He said rescue workers were trying their level best to recover them alive.
Eye witnesses told this scribe that a big portion of the hill slipped down with a big bang early Tuesday morning. They said trucks were parked on the road near the hills slided over them.
Traders said billion of rupees worth Afghanistan bound consignments incuding cement,construction materials and food items destroyed in the landsliding incident.Officials said they were operating the rescue work with great care to recover persons alive. They said the rescue work would take days.
Rescue work was underway till filing this report.
