Avalanche kills 8 Afghans, injure 40

KABUL, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Heavy snowfall and avalanche claimed the lives of eight Afghans and wounded over 40 others, a private television channel reported Tuesday.

"Eight people all of them civilians have died and over 40 others sustained injuries due to heavy snowfall and avalanche in the mountainous Salang Pass," Tolo television quoted a police officer in the area Mawlana Syed Khili as saying.

Connecting the Afghan capital city Kabul to the northern provinces, Salang Pass is a mountainous area and scores of vehicles have trapped there in the heavy snowfall over the past couple of days.

Meantime, Afghan Defense Ministry and Interior Ministry have sent troops, food and helicopters to help rescue the passengers, the television further said.