Afghanistan names landslide area 'mass grave'

KABUL, Afghanistan 

The Afghan government officially named the scene hit by a massive landslide in Badakhshan province as a mass grave and started focusing on helping the survivors on Sunday.

“The religious scholars and high level officials has convinced the locals to give up looking for dead bodies,” Haji Abdul Wadoud, governor of Argo district in Badakhshan told Anadolu Agency.

“It is almost impossible to search for dead bodies,” he said. “When muslims die, they must be buried, and they are already under a huge hill of mud."

The first Vice President Mohammad Younus Qanooni also visited the area on Sunday along with some cabinet members and religious authorities.

“All agreed that it would be named as the mass grave of Abe Barik martyrs,” Abdul Wadoud said.

Early Friday afternoon, a massive landslide triggered by heavy rainfall engulfed the village of Abe Barik in northern Badakhshan province of Afghanistan.

At least 300 families have been trapped under dirt and mud, whereas only 255 of the dead bodies have been identified so far, but the local authorities estimate that more than 2,100 people are dead.

Heavy rains in the last few weeks have also caused flash floods in different parts of the country, taking dozens of lives and damaging hundreds of houses.

By Zubair Babakarkhail 

englishnews@aa.com.tr