GILGIT: An elderly man miraculously emerged alive from beneath a blanket of snow in the Astore district of Gilgit-Baltistan after a grueling 28-hour ordeal triggered by an avalanche.
At least 11 people died and 13 were wounded, all of them from Punjab, after an avalanche hit members of a nomadic tribe as they crossed Shounter Top Pass late on Friday, according to the disaster management agency.
The pass, which is located at 4,420 meters (14,501 feet) above sea level, connects the Astore district of Gilgit-Baltistan to the bordering Kashmir valley.
In summer, the nomads move goat herds from the plains of Punjab to the high grasslands in the Kashmir valley, and then onwards to the adjoining Gilgit-Baltistan through the Shounter Pass.
A remarkable hours-long rescue operation, spearheaded by Astore Rescue 1122, successfully managed to save the lives of three people, who were swiftly transported to the District Headquarters Hospital in Astore for medical attention.
Muhammad Hussain, 70, the final survivor to be found on Saturday, was pulled out from the snow by dedicated rescue officials.
Wazir Asad Ali, the media officer for Astore Rescue 1122, expressed relief, saying that all three rescued individuals are currently receiving treatment and are in stable condition.
With the rescue mission now concluded, the recovered bodies are being prepared for transportation to Punjab.
The Pakistan Army and police collaborated closely with the regional administration and rescue teams, offering invaluable support throughout the operation to locate and save the victims.
Pakistan, which in recent years has faced record monsoon rains and glacier melt in northern mountains, is among the top 10 countries at risk of natural disasters due to climate change.
— With Reuters
