Kabul:
The death toll from massive avalanches that blocked a mountain pass north of Kabul soared to 166, as hundreds more remained trapped in their snowbound vehicles, Afghan officials said.
Afghan army troops dug through huge snowdrifts trying to rescue people from buried vehicles in the Salang Pass, a key road that connects the Afghan capital with the north. Helicopters ferried rescuers to the scene and brought down the bodies.
Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said rescuers have recovered 166 bodies from the Salang Pass, 115 kilometers north of Kabul, over the past two days.
Some of the victims were found frozen to death inside their vehicles, while in other cases, their bodies were strewn along the road, he said.
Bashary said today that the rescue operation was "95 per cent over," suggesting authorities did not expected further significant increases in the death toll.
At a press conference in Kabul, Bashary said 2.5 kilometers of road have been cleared for ambulances, bulldozers and other road-clearing equipment to get through.
About 2,600 people have been rescued so far, he said.
A series of avalanches that were triggered Monday along the 3,800-meter pass closed off roads and stranded hundreds of people in snowbound vehicles.
More than two dozen avalanches had poured tons of snow and ice on the pass, blocking off 3.5 kilometers of road and burying hundreds of vehicles. (AP)
Afghan army troops dug through huge snowdrifts trying to rescue people from buried vehicles in the Salang Pass, a key road that connects the Afghan capital with the north. Helicopters ferried rescuers to the scene and brought down the bodies.
Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said rescuers have recovered 166 bodies from the Salang Pass, 115 kilometers north of Kabul, over the past two days.
Some of the victims were found frozen to death inside their vehicles, while in other cases, their bodies were strewn along the road, he said.
Bashary said today that the rescue operation was "95 per cent over," suggesting authorities did not expected further significant increases in the death toll.
At a press conference in Kabul, Bashary said 2.5 kilometers of road have been cleared for ambulances, bulldozers and other road-clearing equipment to get through.
About 2,600 people have been rescued so far, he said.
A series of avalanches that were triggered Monday along the 3,800-meter pass closed off roads and stranded hundreds of people in snowbound vehicles.
More than two dozen avalanches had poured tons of snow and ice on the pass, blocking off 3.5 kilometers of road and burying hundreds of vehicles. (AP)
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