Rescue workers use explosives to save survivors in cave-in disaster

National National

Posted by AI on 2025-08-16 15:20:07 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-16 17:16:31

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Rescue workers battled against time and gravity on Saturday, using explosives to blast giant boulders as they raced to save survivors from the rubble of a catastrophic landslide that hit a village in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The laborious task of searching through the massive mountain of debris, including the loose boulders and solid rock, has so far yielded over 167 rescued survivors, some of them critically injured, but the operation had to be halted several times due to fresh landslides and concerns over the stability of the mound.

Rescue worker Karim Wangoo said survivors were trapped in pockets of the rubble, located in the hamlet of Chisoti, and that they had used explosives to blast sections of the boulders in order to get to them.

"It was a herculean task to get to the people trapped, some of them were trapped in pockets and some were in between the boulders, we used explosives to break the boulders and to get them out," Mr Wangoo said.

Another rescue worker, Mosin Khan, said dogs had been brought in to help scent any survivors.

"The challenge is to reach them alive, the operation is hugely challenging, we have to be extremely careful so as not to cause more damage to the debris and potentially trap them further," Mr Khan said.

The treacherous nature of the rescue effort means it could take days to extract everyone from the rubble, with around a dozen people still believed to be buried.

Officials said the priority was to retrieve those with serious injuries, many of whom are believed to be trapped in a local mosque and guesthouse that were crushed when the mountainside collapsed.

Hundreds of workers have been joining the rescue effort, which was further hampered by the difficult terrain and problems with communication networks and the electricity supply.

The cause of the landslide was not immediately clear but authorities have said initial investigations suggest it was triggered by a avalanche.

The disaster came as the region recovers from extensive floods that killed more than 300 people last year.

The remote hamlet of Chisoti, with a population of just over 100, was nestled in a deep valley in the Himalayan mountains near the border with Pakistan. Locals said most of the homes were destroyed.

The settlement is located in the Razdan valley, a scenic tourist destination renowned for its wildlife, hiking trails, and views of nearby snow-capped mountains.

The region is still recovering from a cloudburst, an extreme form of rainfall, last year that caused flooding and landslides across Kashmir, killing more than 300 people.

The disaster, on the anniversary of the cloudburst, has rekindled painful memories for many residents, who are now digging through the rubble to retrieve belongings as well as searching for survivors.

"I recognised my house by the roof and managed to retrieve some belongings, we have lost everything, but we are alive," said one local, Ghulam Mohammad.

Another, Firdous, said he had lost his brother and uncle in the landslide.

"My brother, who was inside the house, died in the landslide ... I have no idea where he is now," he said.

"My uncle, who was in the mosque, is still missing."

Meanwhile, thousands of people in nearby villages have been evacuated as a precaution amid fears of fresh landslides.

The mountainous region is prone to landslides and earthquakes, and the disaster has raised fresh questions about the safety of settlements in such an inaccessible, risky region.

Authorities said an investigation has been launched into the incident and that homes in the area would be relocated.

"We have already spoken to locals and have decided to relocate the entire village," said Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, the top civil servant in the region. "It is not safe to live there."

For now, though, rescue workers remain focused on retrieving those still buried in the rubble, hoping to hear the sound of life beneath the debris.

"We are carrying out the operation on war footing," said Mr Khan. "We will not leave any stone unturned."

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