Daily Times

At least 104 people have died due to dense snowfall and avalanches in different parts of country.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a report on Thursday, giving the facts and figures that around 77 people have died in AJK and 56 injured whereas 202 houses have been damaged due to avalanches in the Neelum district.

According to NDMA, no further causalities are reported in Balochistan where 20 casualties have been reported with 23 people injured.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, five people have died and 13 injured, a total of 31 houses damaged due to heavy snowfall.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, two persons died, four injured and three houses damaged, reported NDMA.

According to the reports, the relief items including tonnes of ration, water, tents, first aid kits and many other necessary items have already been released by the NDMA, Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) and State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) for the affected people.

A total of 1,957 tents, 1,250 blankets, tarpaulins 400, ration of 13.6 tonnes, plastic mats 2,250, sheets 150, solar lights 550, kitchen sets 100, mattresses 150, 300 sleeping mats, miscellaneous clothing 2,700, shoes 350, first aid kits 250, lanterns 50, 60 tonnes of salt and 1,000 litres of water has been provided to the victims, reports said.

The report said the heavy snowfall in KP, AJK and GB has wreaked havoc with life and property whereas avalanches occurred in Surgan, Kel, Lawat, Chaknat, Neelum Valley and AJK. Over a dozen of various roads and highways are blocked in AJK, Balochistan, KP and GB.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Alipuri to Khawazakhela Road, Mastuj Road in Upper Chitral, local roads in Upper Dir, link roads in Abbottabad district, Kalabagh-Nathiagali Road, MNJ-Naran Road and Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Kohistan district are blocked. In Balochistan, Killa Abdullah Link Roads and N-50 Quetta-Kahnozai are still blocked due to heavy snowfall.