Two killed and dozens trapped in Pakistan landslide
Two people have been killed and dozens are feared trapped after at least 10 lorries were buried in a landslide during a thunderstorm on the main road through the Khyber Pass in north-western Pakistan.
Officials said eight people were taken to hospital after the incident yesterday.
“Ten to 15 trucks were completely or partially covered by the landslide close to the Torkham border due to a lightning strike during the storm,” said Abdul Nasir Khan, deputy commissioner of the Khyber district.
Some survivors reported receiving phone calls from colleagues under the landslide, but they lost contact as time passed.
“They are not receiving calls any more … maybe the mobile battery of those trapped inside is dead, or maybe there is another reason,” said Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the Rescue 1122 emergency service.
The landslide happened before dawn on a key road that connects Pakistan and Afghanistan. Dozens of firefighters and rescuers are working to save the lives of the lorry drivers and other people affected, police official Ishrat Khan said.
Volunteers have also joined the search for survivors.
Authorities have sent heavy machinery to Torkham so the earth can be removed, Mr Khan said.
Torkham crossing is a trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where landslides often block roads – especially in the mountainous areas.
Last summer, floods caused by monsoon rains killed 1,739 in Pakistan.
Fires broke out following yesterday’s landslide, the brunt of which struck about 120 metres from the border. Drivers and their assistants had been cooking meals before a day of fasting during Ramadan.
“The fire is under control now. The rescue operation is continuing with the help of excavators and other heavy machinery,” Mr Faizi said.
While the deputy commissioner attributed the landslide to a lightning strike, the cause was not confirmed.
Heavy machinery has been in use for months on an expansion project in hills surrounding the border post, regional official Ali Raza said.
Torrential rain may also have contributed to the landslide, he said.
Authorities closed the border crossing to vehicles while the rescue operation took place.
Some survivors reported receiving phone calls from trapped colleagues, but they lost contact as time passed