By Staff Reporter
PESHAWAR: At least nine people from the same family were killed and a child was rescued alive after an avalanche buried their house in a remote mountainous area of northwestern Pakistan, officials said Friday, as heavy snowfall and rains continued to lash the region, stranding travelers, blocking roads and prompting urgent rescue operations across multiple provinces.
The avalanche struck in Sarigal village in the Arandu region of Lower Chitral district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where rescuers battled heavy snow and difficult terrain to recover the bodies and provide aid. The incident shows the perils of winter weather in Pakistan’s rugged north, where authorities have repeatedly warned tourists against unnecessary travel amid forecasts of more storms. “An avalanche fell in Sarigal village of Arandu, a far-flung area in subdivision Drosh,” said Rao Hashim Azeem, deputy commissioner of Lower Chitral. “Ten people from the same family came under the avalanche in which nine were found dead and one child was rescued alive.”
He added that police, Chitral scouts, rescue teams and local administration participated in the operation, which was hampered by the remote location and ongoing snowfall. The bodies were transported to Drosh for burial. Rescue 1122, the provincial emergency service, reported that four women and five men were among the dead. Teams from the service, along with the Pakistan Army and civilians, completed the recovery effort despite the challenges posed by the weather. The injured child received immediate medical aid and was taken to a nearby hospital.
The avalanche came as a broader weather system brought heavy snow and rain to northern and southwestern Pakistan, disrupting daily life and triggering a cascade of emergencies. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rescuers evacuated dozens of residents and tourists from snowbound areas in Khyber, South Waziristan and Swat districts, clearing blocked roads and distributing food, clothing and bedding.
In the Tirah Valley, part of Khyber district, a large-scale rescue operation was underway to assist families fleeing their homes ahead of a planned military operation against militants. The evacuation, which began on Jan. 9 and is expected to wrap up within two months, left hundreds of displaced families stranded on snow-covered roads as heavy snowfall hit Thursday night.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi said the operation involved 23 vehicles and more than 100 personnel in areas including Tirah Valley, Painda Cheena, Dawatoi and Bagh Maidan. By Friday evening, rescuers had saved 50 stranded vehicles and around 100 people, shifting them to safer locations. Stranded families were moved to Painda Cheena School and a nearby hostel, where relief goods including blankets, sweaters and other essentials were provided overnight. Women and children were evacuated first, followed by men, with operations continuing late into the night.
The Pakistan Army also joined in, rescuing 20 stranded residents and preparing 200 beds at the Tirah Administrative Complex, along with food and shelter for evacuees. Severe cold in Tirah led to multiple hypothermia cases, especially among children. At least 20 children were transferred to Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar, showing symptoms like shivering, fatigue and low body temperature.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported that the Miraban-Tirah Valley Road was blocked by snow, along with routes in Kaghan-Naran, Battal and Lowari Tunnel, stranding locals and tourists. Roads in Buner, Swat, Chitral, Lower Dir and Kolai-Palas districts were also affected, with heavy machinery deployed for clearance. In Shangla district, heavy snowfall blocked major roads including the Karakoram Highway and cut power to most areas. The PDMA noted snowfall across northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Thursday night into Friday morning.
Snowfall also blanketed Murree, a popular hill station, starting Thursday evening. A Met official reported up to two feet in some areas, with 14 inches in Sunny Bank and more in Galliyat and northern parts. Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Shirazi said vehicle entry into Murree was restricted due to the weather, though no roads were closed and earlier-arrived tourists moved freely.
In southwestern Balochistan, temperatures dropped to minus-9 degrees Celsius in districts like Quetta, Kalat, Chaman, Killa Saifullah, Nushki and Loralai, amid a snowstorm with strong winds. Dozens of vehicles, including passenger buses, were stranded on the N-50 highway near Muslim Bagh since Thursday night. Assistant Commissioner Dheeraj Kalra said the district administration, with PDMA Balochistan, cleared the snow and reopened the road Friday morning.
PMD Balochistan Deputy Director Muhammad Afzal said the snowstorm entered via the Iran-Afghan border and that freezing temperatures would persist until Saturday evening. He forecasted another spell of snowfall and rain from Jan. 25 to 27, though less severe. In Zhob, Balochistan, the Pakistan Army assisted stranded passengers and reopened Alouddin Pass for light vehicles, while PDMA relocated people in affected districts.
Heavy snow also hit Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree and Galiyat, stranding vehicles and causing power outages. In Chilas, the Karakoram Highway closed, trapping hundreds of passengers. In Astore, 20 hours of snowfall at Musharraf Chowk blocked roads, isolating district headquarters at Gorekot, Fina Bolan and upper areas. In Swat’s upper regions like Malam Jabba, Dain, Bahrain, Kalam, Marghazar, Islampur and Gabin Jabba, intermittent snow drew tourists for chairlifts and scenery, but caused road closures and outages in upper and plain areas.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said the system causing the weather was active over northern parts, predicting more showers and snow in the next few hours. It advised tourists to stay vigilant and avoid unnecessary travel. A new westerly wave is expected to bring rain-wind/thunderstorms and snowfall from Sunday night through Tuesday in Balochistan, upper Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
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