11 members of nomadic tribe killed in avalanche in northern Pakistan

Khalid Umar Malik
29 May 2023, 18:04 GMT+10

Diamir, Pakistan - According to the country's disaster management agency, at least 11 people were killed when an avalanche hit members of a nomadic tribe as they crossed a mountain ...
Another 13 people were injured in the late-Friday avalanche that struck a group of families at Shunter Top Pass.
According to the agency, the victims' bodies have been recovered, which added that the injured, including a child, have been taken to a local hospital and are said to be in critical condition.

Diamir, Pakistan - According to the country's disaster management agency, at least 11 people were killed when an avalanche hit members of a nomadic tribe as they crossed a mountainous area in northern Pakistan.

Another 13 people were injured in the late-Friday avalanche that struck a group of families at Shunter Top Pass. The pass, 4,420 meters (14,501 feet) above sea level, connects the Gilgit-Baltistan region's Astore district to the bordering Kashmir valley.

According to the agency, the victims' bodies have been recovered, which added that the injured, including a child, have been taken to a local hospital and are said to be in critical condition.

The rescue operation was hampered by harsh weather conditions, which made access to the remote scene difficult.

In the summer, nomads move goat herds from the Punjab plains to the high grasslands of the Kashmir valley and then on to the neighboring Gilgit Baltistan via the Shunter Pass.

"Such incidents are on the rise in Pakistan due to the impact of climate change," said Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement.

Pakistan, which has recently experienced record monsoon rains and glacier melt in the northern mountains, is one of the top ten countries at risk of natural disasters due to climate change.

Sharif urged the international community to take responsibility for rescuing developing countries facing economic challenges from the adverse effects of climate change.

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