Afghanistan avalanche toll rises to 165 amid rescue efforts
The number of people killed in a massive avalanche in a mountain-bound valley in northeastern Afghanistan rose on Thursday to 165 as lack of equipment and the sheer depth of snow that buried entire homes and families hampered rescue efforts.
"We're facing a real crisis because of the depth of the snow," said Mohammad Aslam Syas, deputy chief of the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority.
So far, 165 deaths had been confirmed in the Panjshir Valley, in Panjshir province, which is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the Afghan capital, Kabul, he said.
"We can only speculate on how many people are buried beneath destroyed houses. It's possible that if houses have not collapsed beneath the weight of the snow, we can still find people alive," he said.
