10 dead, 26 injured as avalanche hits GB’s Astore

In a tragic incident, at least 10 people were killed and 26 others sustained injuries in an avalanche in the Astore district of Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday.

Confirming the report, Deputy Inspector General of Police for Diamer-Astore Division Tufail Mir said a control room has been set up in the district to facilitate rescue operations and recover people from under the debris.

Rescue teams have reached the spot and attempts are being made to recover people trapped under the snow.

Army helicopter and a team of doctors, ambulance and rescue teams have also reached the spot and attempts are being made to recover people trapped under the snow.

GB Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident and directed local authorities to initiate rescue operations immediately.

The chief minister directed the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), Rescue 1122, and other authorities to utilise all available resources to retrieve the people trapped under the snow and debris.

He instructed the authorities concerned to take all possible measures for the search and rescue operation.

Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives in the tragic incident.

They stressed the need for immediate search and rescue operations by utilising all available resources. They prayed for the departed souls and the early recovery of the injured people.

Five out of 14 world peaks above the height of 8,000 meters are located in the region. In addition to this, GB has over 7,000 glaciers and often witnesses avalanches, landslides, and glacial lake outbursts.

In a tragic incident in 2012, at least 129 Pakistan Army soldiers and 11 civilians lost their lives when a massive avalanche hit their camp in the Gayari area, some 300km northeast of GB’s Skardu district.