Natural disasters: Two miners die after being buried under landslide rubble

Minar Khan and Haji Khan were digging for stones in the mountains when the landslide occurred.

SHANGLA/ JAMRUD:

Two miners were killed after they were buried in a landslide in Jamrud, Khyber Agency on Sunday.

Ali Sher, an official of the political administration, said the incident occurred around 11am when Minar Khan and Haji Khan, residents of Sur Kamar, were digging for stones in the mountains. They were both buried under stone rubble.

The official said khasadars posted at a nearby checkpoint rushed to the spot, dug out both miners and shifted them to Hayatabad Medical Complex where Minar and Haji were declared dead.

Meanwhile, a landslide blocked the Karakoram Highway in Kohistan on Sunday. Heavy rain and snowfall is making it difficult for the security forces and the police to clear the highway

Imtiaz Hussain, an official of the Kohistan district government, said the slide occurred in the morning near Patan area and blocked the highway. Hundreds of passengers going to and from Gilgit-Baltisitan and Islamabad are stranded as a result, he added.

The route will be reopened as soon as possible, shared Hussain.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2014.