The number of fatalities caused by the landslip in Landi Kotal has now reached six. Rescue workers have pulled another body from the rubble.
Another corpse was discovered by rescue crews on Friday, bringing the total number of fatalities from the Khyber Pass land sliding disaster to six.
Rescue 1122’s spokesman told The Express Tribune that the rescue effort had proceeded for the fourth day in a row at Khyber Pass, where further land sliding had occurred but their crews had still managed to pull out 25 containers.
He said, “The death toll from the incident has risen to six, with eight others injured,” and the effort would continue until all buried containers are retrieved.
Background
Early on Tuesday morning, when more than 120 vehicles were waiting to cross the border, a landslip occurred close to the Torkham border post, the busiest and most vital transit point for trade between the two nations.
Sniffer dogs were brought in, and heavy earth-moving equipment was employed gingerly as rescuers hoped to free any remaining victims from the wreckage.
According to Abdul Nasir, the deputy commissioner of Khyber district, “20 to 30 cargo vehicles and containers were buried under the debris” due to the landslide. Additionally, “five containers caught fire and burned,” he said.
According to Nasir, two of the victims were Afghan nationals.
He also said that the injured were being sent to a hospital in Landi Kotal. In addition, “a rescue operation is underway,” he said.
The deputy commissioner stated, “The casualties and the material losses could be accurately estimated after removal of the debris,” implying that the death toll could grow after the wreckage was cleared away.
