A huge glacier is reportedly gliding towards a village in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Arando area while heavy snowfall has blocked all the roads to the affected region.
Harsh weather conditions in Northern areas are wrecking havoc where scores have died due to avalanche and other related incidents. A couple of days ago, at least 15 people died when an avalanche hit a village and a paramilitary post in Chitral.
People from the Arando village are moving towards safer areas and reports are coming in of heavy livestock losses as scores of animals trapped under the snow. At least 14 families have moved down to another village as a glacier in the area has started gliding towards the population.
According to lawmaker GB Constituent Assembly Imran Nadeem, “The village received 10 feet of snow during the last three days after which reports of avalanche and glacier moving emerged.”
However, it has not been ascertained whether the animals and houses were buried under the glacier or avalanche as record-breaking snowfall this month triggered the avalanche in a neighbourhood of Arandu.
A 10-member rescue team of volunteers and police has left for Arandu village that is located in Shigar, said Baltistan Division Commissioner Asim Ayub. It will take around two to three days for the team to reach the village as they will walk to the area. The commissioner said many communication routes are blocked due to heavy snowfall.