Afghanistan: landslide kills at least 350 people and hundreds still trapped
Afghanistan landslide:Badakhshan province governor said more than 2,000 people were missingafter a hill collapsed on the village of Hobo Barik after days of heavy rain, buryingsome 300 homes in the area about a third of all houses there.
A landslide buried a village Friday in northeasternAfghanistan, leaving at least 350 people dead and hundreds missing, said Afghan and U.N. officials.
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Badakhshan province Gov. Shah Waliullah Adeeb said more than 2,000 people were missing after a hill collapsed on the village of Hobo Barik after days of heavy rain. Adeeb said the landslide buried some 300 homes in the area about a third of all houses there.
Ari Gaitanis, a spokesman from the United Nations Assistance Mission inAfghanistan, said at least 350 people died in the landslide. He said the U.N. is working with authorities on the ground to rescue people still trapped.
The governor said rescue crews were working but didn't have enough equipment, appealing for shovels.
"It's physically impossible right now," Adeeb said. "We don't have enough shovels; we need more machinery."
He said authorities evacuated a nearby village over concerns about further landslides.
Provincial police chief Faziluddin Hayar said the landslide happened about 1 p.m. Friday.
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Afghanistan: landslide kills at least 350 people and hundreds still trapped