Hundreds reportedly killed in Afghan landslide

More than 200 villagers were feared dead Friday following a landslide in the northern Afghan province of Badakhshan, authorities said. "Following recent heavy rains a landslide hit a village in the Aab Bareek area of Argu district Friday morning. More than 200 people are believed to have been killed," local official Fazlludin Ayar told Xinhua. Scores of houses were covered by debris. Rescue operations were launched in the area but as of Friday evening no person was found alive or dead, he said. Unofficial sources put the number of the people trapped in the incident to more 500. However, sources said the heavy rains and flooding have damaged roads and made it difficult for rescue teams to conduct rescue operations.