Afghan President Declares Day of Mourning for Landslide Victims

World Today

Afghan President Hamid Karzai declared Sunday a day of national mourning for the thousands of lives lost in massive landslides. More than 2,000 people are believed dead in a remote northern village in Badakhshan Province. The U.S. Commander of the International Security Assistance Force has offered his troops and aid. As Afghans observed a day of mourning on Sunday for the hundreds of people killed in a horrific landslide, authorities tried to help the 700 families displaced by the torrent of mud that swept through their village.

The families left their homes due to the threat of more landslides in the village of Abi Barik in Badakhshan province, Minister for Rural Rehabilitation Wais Ahmad Barmak said. Afghanistan’s first vice president visited the site of the landslide on Sunday.

“We contacted the commander of International Forces General (Joseph) Dunford in Kabul and asked him to help us provide necessary equipment to rescue people who are under the rubble,” Mohammad Younus Qanooni said.

“Unfortunately the nature of this area does not allow us to bring necessary equipment here.” CCTV’s Cem Sey reports on why the rescue operation has been so difficult.

Afghan President Declares Day of Mourning for Landslide Victims

Afghan president Hamid Karzai declared Sunday a day of national mourning for the thousands of lives lost in massive landslides. More than 2,000 people are believed dead in a remote Northern village in Badakhshan Province.The U.S. Commander of the International Security Assistance Force has offered his troops and aid. CCTV's Jem Sey reports on why the rescue operation has been so difficult.