The Afghan military flew rescue teams to the area on Saturday because the remote mountainous region is accessed by narrow, poor roads that have been damaged by more than a week of heavy rain.
“We have managed to get one excavator into the area, but digging looks helpless,” Sayad said. “It is impossible to find signs of living creatures or houses in most parts of the affected area.”
The sheer size of the affected area, and the depth of the mud, meant only modern machinery could help in the rescue, he said.