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Developing | Search for survivors after Afghanistan landslide destroys 300 homes

A mountain lake in Panjsher, a province known for its snowcapped peaks north of Kabul, overflowed and caused the landslide

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Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani, in Brussels for the Natp summit, ordered authorities to provide victims with necessary assistance. Photo: Reuters

A landslide destroyed nearly 300 homes, killing at least 10 people, as it swept through an Afghan village where residents were using only basic digging tools to search for survivors, officials said.

A mountain lake in Panjsher, a province north of Kabul known for its snowcapped peaks, overflowed and sent water and mud cascading over Peshghor village, Omar Mohammadi, spokesman for the disaster management ministry, said.

Jamil Ahmad was lying in bed just before midnight when he said he heard a sound like “jets” flying overhead.

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“Somebody shouted ‘Flood!’ and I ran away with my family to higher ground,” Ahmad said by telephone.

“The people started firing (weapons) into the air to warn others about the flood.”

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