PAKISTAN: At least 42 people killed since Tuesday as landslides sweep Pakistani Kashmir

Record ID: 872764

  • Title: PAKISTAN: At least 42 people killed since Tuesday as landslides sweep Pakistani Kashmir
  • Date: 24th March 2007
  • Summary: CLOTHING AND SHOES AMONGST RUBBLE OF HOUSE
  • Embargoed: 8th April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • City:
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVAA0MSBEPGFH340JFQ7XD9WV45U
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Heavy rain in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir mountains triggers a series of landslides that have killed at least 42 people this week.

    At least 42 people have been killed in a series of landslides caused by heavy rain in Pakistani Kashmir this week.
    The worst single toll was on Wednesday (March 21), when at least 27 people were buried under the the rubble of three homes swept away in a village 65 km (40 miles) southeast of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir. The village is in the same area that was hit by a huge earthquake 18 months ago.
    The weather cleared on Thursday (March 22) allowing helicopters to fly to the remote, snow-bound village bringing soldiers to aid rescue efforts.
    Distraught relatives, realising that there was little hope of finding anyone alive, crowded around, praying and weeping, as soldiers and villagers dug in the slush.
    "We have more than 100 soldiers working here since yesterday. They have dug out eight bodies so far. Today the weather is better so we are going to try to dig out more bodies," said an unidentified military officer as his men covered dead bodies with army blankets and carried them to wailing relatives.
    By early Friday (March 23), 27 bodies had been recovered.
    A landslide swept away a house in another village south of Muzaffarabad on Tuesday (March 20), killing eight members of a family.
    In the latest incident, five members of one family were killed in the middle of the night when their house was buried in the Leepa valley, about 100 km (60 miles) southeast of Muzaffarabad.
    Two women were killed and two were rescued after their house collapsed under a landslide in another village in the area, police said.
    Heavy rain and snow has fallen this week across the mountains that were struck by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in October 2005. The quake killed 73,000 people and loosened soil and rocks across the slopes.
    ANY/AD
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