DUSHANBE, January 9, Asia-Plus  -- People who have remained trapped in an avalanche on the highway from Dushanbe to Khujand for already four days call for help. 

One of them, who introduced himself as Abdurauf Rahmonov, has managed to get in touch with Asia-Plus by cell phone said that yesterday they called to the Committee for Emergency Situations (CES) asking for help.  However, rescuers have not yet reached the avalanche site.   

“There are some 100 people, including women, here and we do not know what to do,” Rahmonov said, noting that residents from the near villages gave shelter to them.  “Some people left their cars and decided to go Dushanbe on foot.”     

 In the meantime, a reliable source at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said that according to information received, several vehicles were trapped by an avalanche that occurred near the village of Maykhura, some 63 kilometers north of Dushanbe, several days ago.  The services of workers constructing the Anzob tunnel were enlisted to clear the road of snow, the source said.  The workers are also providing food assistance to those remained trapped.           

In the meantime, the CES press service confirmed that heavy snowfalls on January 2-8 caused a series of avalanches that blocked in several places the main highway from Dushanbe to Khujand.  A 16-kilometer section of the highway, from 47th to 63rd kilometer, has been closed for traffic, the source said.  However, the CES source said that there were no people trapped in the avalanche.

The MoI says avalanches that occurred in the different regions of the country over the past several days have paralyzed traffic in there. 

The law enforcement and emergency authorities advise people again to refrain from unnecessary travels.