DUSHANBE, February 2, Asia-Plus — On Wednesday February 1, rescuers recovered the bodies of six more avalanche victims in Jirgatol District, some 30 kilometer northeast of Dushanbe, raising the death toll to 18, Asia-Plus has learned from Ilhom Tursunov, head of the Jirgatol emergency management agency’s staff.
Mr. Tursunov has told Asia-Plus that information that 38 people were buried by snow Tuesday [January 31] as the avalanche hit their village was preliminary. But a it turned out later, 36 people were buried by. On Tuesday locals recovered 12 bodies. Tursunov said that 18 people were rescued. Of them, seven, including five children, are currently in the central district hospital, according to him. The remaining eleven people are currently staying with their relatives. “The avalanche victims need warm clothes and food products but the roads have been blocked by snow and access to the affected village remains poor that hampers relief efforts,” Tursunov said.
Ilhom Tursunov has also told Asia-Plus that according to preliminary information received from local residents, another avalanche buried about 30 residential buildings in the
Village
of
Kabudjar
, but rescuers have not yet able to reach the area and check this information.
