With the recovery of 16 dead bodies on Saturday, the death toll in the back-to-back avalanches at Sharda sector has crossed 18. Twelve soldiers are among the victims. At least 18 people went missing, including eight soldiers, after they were hit by an avalanche in the Kel sector of Neelum Valley on Friday. A rescue team of soldiers went on a mission to find their three colleagues buried underneath the snow. They had found two bodies, when another avalanche struck. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has confirmed that the bodies of five soldiers, including an officer and four civilians had been recovered on Saturday. The search for the remaining missing persons is underway.