An avalanche claimed the lives of nine family members in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, igniting a series of disruptions amidst the country’s heavy snowfall. The tragedy unfolded in the Damil area, where a house was buried, leaving a nine-year-old boy as the sole survivor.
As snow blanketed regions including Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, life ground to a halt. Transport networks were crippled, stranding thousands, while power outages worsened the bitter cold. Local officials attributed the avalanche to over 20 inches of snowfall in Chitral district.
The stark conditions extended to other areas, with highways blocked and emergency services stretched thin. The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasts further snowfall, urging vigilance as relief operations strive to reach affected communities facing dwindling supplies of food, medicine, and warmth.
(With inputs from agencies.)