14 killed including women, children and scout as avalanche hits Chitral

CHITRAL: At least 14 people were killed, including a scout, as avalanche hit different villages of the Chitral district on Sunday, Geo News reported.

Commandant Chitral Scouts Col Nizamuddin Shah informed Geo News that bodies of 14 people were taken out from the rubble in Sher Shal village, where an avalanche buried at least 10 houses.

The dead included six women, six children and two men, Col Nizamuddin Shah added.

Meanwhile, 13 people were rescued and evacuated. Efforts are underway to take the injured to hospital but roads are blocked due to heavy snow, hampering evacuation, rescue sources said.

Rescue teams left for the affected area on foot, as the area is inaccessible to vehicles due to heavy snowfall.

Scout dies in avalanche

A young Chitral scout, identified as Irshad, embraced martyrdom as an avalanche buried a checkpost in Damil village of the district on Sunday, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

So far seven bodies and two injured have been recovered from the rubble, ISPR said.

Efforts are underway to rescue people trapped in Sher Shal and Garam Chashma. FC personnel are assisting the civil administration in the rescue efforts, ISPR said.

Some soldiers were rescued early Sunday morning from areas affected by heavy snow, ISPR said, adding that the Army helicopter will start rescue efforts once the weather improves.

The ISPR statement added that the Army Chief has also instructed Pakistan Army to assist NDMA, PDMA and civil administration in the rescue work.

NDMA has also dispatched relieve goods to Chitral.