United Nations officials have raised the anticipated death toll to about 500 in a landslide that swept away a remote mountain village in northeastern Afghanistan.
With thousands of people missing from the village of Aab Bareek , local officials in Badakhshan Province insist the final death toll from the May 2 landslide could be as high as 2,700.
But an exact toll may never be known because many victims were swept into a ravine and buried under several meters of mud.
Gul Mohammad Bedaar, the deputy governor of Badakhshan Province, says the search for survivors has been called off because the ravine is inaccessible to heavy digging equipment.
Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority says there also is a risk of more landslides.
Afghanistan marked a day of mourning for the victims on May 4.
With thousands of people missing from the village of Aab Bareek , local officials in Badakhshan Province insist the final death toll from the May 2 landslide could be as high as 2,700.
But an exact toll may never be known because many victims were swept into a ravine and buried under several meters of mud.
Gul Mohammad Bedaar, the deputy governor of Badakhshan Province, says the search for survivors has been called off because the ravine is inaccessible to heavy digging equipment.
Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority says there also is a risk of more landslides.
Afghanistan marked a day of mourning for the victims on May 4.