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| Monday, 28 February 2005 |
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Avalanche-hit houses become family tombs WALTINGO, India, Sunday (AFP) - Two years ago, Abdul Gani built a house with his brother nestled in this village in the southern reaches of the Himalayan foothills of Indian Kashmir. Now it is the family tomb. "We built this house together," said Gani, 32, who lost 10 family members, including his two sons Altaf, six, and Aslam who was only 18 months-old, when a giant wall of snow slammed into Waltingo last Saturday. The log dwellings stood no chance against the force of the avalanche. "We've buried them all in the house," Gani said, fighting back tears as he gestured to a mound of snow-dusted rubble. "I never thought when we were building the house that it would be their burial ground." Waltingo was one of six villages 56 miles (90 kilometers) south of Kashmir's main city Srinagar that were hit last weekend by avalanches which have killed at least 249 people and left an unknown number missing. Fears of triggering fresh avalanches have prevented helicopters from landing and heavy snow has blocked roads, leading to delays in rescue efforts. |
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