Afghanistan recorded variant quantity of snow fall, this year. Nonetheless, Panjshir and Badakhshan are among the provinces that witnessed record snow fall, leading to blockade of some of the districts roads. It was this heavy snow that resulted in snow avalanches hitting different villages in central Panjsher province; resulting in several casualties with scores gone missing. According to public official at least 72 persons have been found dead after 106 individuals went missing. The heavy hit areas are Bazarak, the provincial capital, Piryan and Hisa Dowam Districts.
Out of all natural disasters, flood and landslide and avalanche turned the deadliest killing hundreds of people. Usually various parts of Afghanistan are subject to flooding and mudslides and avalanche during the spring and summer months due to ice and snow melt in the mountainous regions, that reaches the main rivers via water seepage through rocks and lands. Nonetheless in winter whenever heavy snow falls take place the chances of avalanches multiplies, accordingly that likely increase of the fear of countless casualties.
Avalanche, alternatively known as snow-slide or snow-slip, is a rapid flow of snow down a sloping surface. Avalanches are typically triggered in a starting zone from a mechanical failure in the snowpack when the forces on the snow exceed its strength. The load on the snowpack may be only due to gravity, in which case failure may result either from weakening in the snowpack or increased load due to precipitation. Avalanches that occur in this way are known as spontaneous avalanches. It is estimated that spontaneous avalanches might have been behind the tragic incident. The ground sources asserts the people gone missing might hardly be uncovered, diminishing the chances of their survival. The reservation dismisses given a handy approach is put into practice to safeguard the trapped civilians.
Since, the thick snow has left the district center completely/partially disconnected from the affected villages. It gets hard to supply the troubled area with need machinery and handy equipments. The people at the scene are seen using wooden shovel to recover their loved ones lying deep under the thick pile of snow. This clearly is reflecting the gravity of problems and its aftermath handiness to deal with situation. The lack of resources complicated the search for those missing and recovers the dead from affected areas. It was the latest in a string of deadly avalanches in the said provinces. However, the necessary equipments needed to carry out rescue operations restricted their abilities, to duly save precious lives and it will do so on.
Undeniably man has rendered hapless before monstrous natural calamities that have ever hit hard civilian population and ruined well built cities. The calamities such as cyclone, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, massive floods and avalanche have turned catastrophic claiming thousands of lives. It is an absolute finding, these calamities can’t be prevented, but bringing pragmatic measures into use, both human and infrastructural losses can be restrained to a maximum.
The operational services of government and public officials and concerned departments seemed negligible. It is not the only tragic natural disaster that claimed tens of lives whilst disclosing government’s incompetence. Similarly, last August, hundreds of people were killed and made homeless by flooding and landslide that wreaked havoc across central Afghanistan, including Kabul. It was indeed a great tragedy that left hundreds of precious lives dead at the earliest hours. Many lives could be rescued if aids had reached on time.
The inadvertence, lack of proper plans and inefficiency of government is wholly unearthed, subsequent to the onset of natural calamity that rendered heart wrecking and regrettable. Following, the tragic avalanche, the government quick response seemed minimal, evens the aid and rescue operation couldn’t begin after hours. It was later disclosed the government didn’t owe sophisticated, handy tools and equipments that could help dug out the buried lives.
The tragic incident of Pajsher and Badakhshan that claimed scores of precious lives put our collective consciousness, at the test. None of the public official seen at the site of tragedy, clearly manifests the despotic brought up of such elected and selected officials. It takes them long to turn themselves pursuant of pubic interests and don’t let people feel a sense of loneliness. The public officials must have paid the earliest visits to the site. The visits of official meant not only to share a sense of togetherness, possible cooperation by the government but also the gravity of the issue, and its feasible remedy that could be undertaken. The whole scenario uncovered the selfless services are yet to be exercised by our political leader.
Seeing the intensity of the tragedy and its inabilities to cope the deteriorating state of affairs, the government must have asked for international rapid response force to uncover the buried lives. The government should assure complete rehabilitation of affected populations and reconstruction of durable residences should be executed on priority bases.
A prevalent but shameful silence is witnessed, seeing none of public official came forth to denounce the tragic incident. It was expected the President and CEO immediately issue orders to National Disaster Management Authority to dispatch hasty services to the site. A state of emergency should have been declared for rapid recovery of trapped civilian; mobile hospitals should have been established to treat the worst injured people. More, the premier must have shared grievances of victims by meeting the daily needs of people who left to the mercy of terrible and shivering cold weather.