Death toll rises to 104 as heavy rains, snow continue to lash Pakistan

According to NDMA, 96 people have been injured while 236 houses have been destroyed all across the country

At least 104 people have died and 96 injured across Pakistan following the heavy snowfall and avalanches in the country, with Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Balochistan being the most affected, according to the latest report published by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The disaster management authority confirmed that as many as 77 people were reportedly killed and 56 were injured in the AJK avalanche, while 20 people died and 23 were injured in Balochistan’s extreme weather conditions. Five deaths were reported from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and two from Gilgit-Baltistan.

The report stated that 236 houses were destroyed all across the country. The most damage was reported in AJK with a total of 202 houses destroyed, followed by 31 in K-P and three in G-B.

Hundreds of relief items - including blankets, tents, ration, plastic mats, solar lights, kitchen sets, mattresses, sleeping bags, shoes, clothing, first aid kits, and bottles of water have been distributed among the victims.

Food items were also distributed amongst the victims and search and rescue operations continued in the affected regions.

PM Imran reaches AJK to review post avalanche relief operations

A day earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan reached Azad Jammu and Kashmir to review relief operations after the region was hit by avalanches and landslides during the ongoing cold snap.

Special Advisor to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan, in a tweet, stated that following the avalanche, the premier had directed authorities to take prompt action and provide relief and rescue services at the earliest.

She said the premier had also asked concerned institutions to provide full assistance to the affected people and called for the injured to be shifted to safer places and be provided with the best medical facilities.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecasted the weather to remain cold and dry in most parts of the country for the next twelve hours.

It, however, precaution that fog is likely to prevail in plain areas of Punjab and upper Sindh during morning and night hours.