Eight people have died as a result of a massive landslide that occurred earlier this week and buried a fleet of vehicles waiting to cross from Pakistan into Afghanistan, according to officials on Saturday.
More than 100 vehicles were waiting to cross when the pre-dawn landscape on Tuesday struck the Torkham border station, the busiest trading and transit point between the two countries.
The spokesperson for Pakistan's rescue services, Bilal Faizi, stated that "an operation is ongoing to recover an eighth body" among the debris. "So far, we have recovered seven dead bodies," he continued.
Rescue workers first reported two fatalities, but the accident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in the burial of 20 trucks in total.
The bulk of the fall struck just 120 meters (130 yards) from the main border crossing, sparking flames as motorists prepared meals on gas ranges in preparation for the holy month of Ramadan's daytime fasting.
Faizi said, "Our employees can see the ninth dead body." "We had 60% of the rubble removed, but yesterday there was another landslide in the same place, delaying the rescue effort," he added.
A total of 20 trucks were buried in the accident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with rescue services initially reporting two deaths.
Abdul Nasir Khan, the district deputy commissioner, confirmed the death toll and noted that Thursday saw the return of traffic.
In the immediate aftermath, it was unclear what caused the landslide, but on Tuesday, a government official revealed that heavy equipment had been employed for months on an expansion project in the hills surrounding the border post.
The official suggested that the torrential nighttime rain may have also played a role.
More than 100 vehicles were waiting to cross when the pre-dawn landscape on Tuesday struck the Torkham border station, the busiest trading and transit point between the two countries.
The spokesperson for Pakistan's rescue services, Bilal Faizi, stated that "an operation is ongoing to recover an eighth body" among the debris. "So far, we have recovered seven dead bodies," he continued.
Rescue workers first reported two fatalities, but the accident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in the burial of 20 trucks in total.
The bulk of the fall struck just 120 meters (130 yards) from the main border crossing, sparking flames as motorists prepared meals on gas ranges in preparation for the holy month of Ramadan's daytime fasting.
Faizi said, "Our employees can see the ninth dead body." "We had 60% of the rubble removed, but yesterday there was another landslide in the same place, delaying the rescue effort," he added.
A total of 20 trucks were buried in the accident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with rescue services initially reporting two deaths.
Abdul Nasir Khan, the district deputy commissioner, confirmed the death toll and noted that Thursday saw the return of traffic.
In the immediate aftermath, it was unclear what caused the landslide, but on Tuesday, a government official revealed that heavy equipment had been employed for months on an expansion project in the hills surrounding the border post.
The official suggested that the torrential nighttime rain may have also played a role.