A landslide has killed at least 10 people and destroyed nearly 300 homes in northeast Afghanistan.

Two helicopters with a rescue team and emergency aid flew to the province of Panjshir where the disaster struck late on July 11.

Omar Mohammadi, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority, said on July 12 that rescue teams were looking for people trapped in the debris in the Khinj district.

Panjshir, located some 140 kilometers north of Kabul, is a tourist area and is known for its snowcapped peaks.

Northern Afghanistan regularly suffer landslides when snow melts in the spring, but deforestation in some areas has increased their frequency.

President Ashraf Ghani, in Brussels for the NATO summit, ordered authorities to provide victims with necessary assistance, his office said in a statement.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

