Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Landslides in Bamyan

Roads connecting Waras, Punjab and Seghan districts of Bamyan have been blocked and remained closed for weeks due to heavy snow fall in recent weeks. The National Disaster Management Authority office in the province and concerned authorities in Kabul have failed to launch an effective clearing operation. Dozens of families are trapped in landslide in far-flung villages. Tunnels have been blocked. Last week, a vehicle with 25 passengers was trapped in snow in a tunnel for a day long. Luckily locals were successful to help themselves with small domestic equipments clearing the tunnel and 25 lives were saved. However, it speaks volumes about the performance of National Disaster Management Authority.

Roads connecting districts with Center of Bamyan are blocked and local people are trying themselves to clear up the ways after snow-sliding since last week. Concerned Government authorities even don't know whereabouts of the disaster.

Residents in some parts of the province are in urgent need of edible supplies and emergency assistance. Women and children are trapped in harsh winter under heavy snowfall. Local people are unable to move and take the affected people to hospitals.

The quick performance of the central emergency response authorities is critical at such emergency times. But they have been idle with no serious notice of the catastrophic land sliding due to which dozens of families are endangered and trapped in server winter under open sky and heavy snowfall.

The higher officials of Natural Disaster Management Authority should send emergency teams to evacuate people and open the blocked roads otherwise all out responsibilities of a human catastrophe would go on the Government. Residents of the area are trying to clear up the roads with shovels since last week but they have been failed to cope with the massive sliding.

Two years back a similar land sliding caused death of half a dozen people. The emergency response departments are needed to immediately reach to disastrous snowfall in Bamyan and other snow-hit provinces and help to evacuate people providing emergency relief supply.