February 24, 2003	Monday	Zul Hijjah 22, 1423

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MUZAFFARABAD, Feb 23: Six more people were killed and 11 others were recovered alive with wounds after their house was hit by an avalanche in Neelum valley in third such incident in a week, officials said on Sunday.

The latest incident occurred in Misra Jagran village, which is near Jagran powerhouse in the lower belt of Neelum valley, located northeast of the AJK capital.

The valley has received the heaviest snowfall over the past week, varying from 4 to 10 feet, which has resulted in almost complete disruption of the communication links with and within the area.

Officials fear more casualties in similar incidents that they say might have occurred in other areas of the valley, where access has become almost impossible due to huge snowfall.

Muzaffarabad SSP Khalid Mahmood Chauhan told Dawn that the six dead were identified as Waliur Rehman, 40, son of Abdur Rehman, and his two children Naseer, 10, and Kulsoom; Zainab Bibi, 25, wife of Mohammad Afsar, and her two kids, Mohammad Safeer 4, and Zaitoon 1.

Eleven others were recovered alive but with critical wounds and four of them were identified as Rashida Begum, wife of Wali ur Rehmanl Khalini Zaman, son of Abdur Rehman; Khomeeda Bibi, wife of Mohammad Shabbir and Fukran bibi, wife of Khani Zaman, the SSP said, adding that all the victims belonged to the same family.

“Due to the unprecedented snowfall, it is very difficult to launch rescue operations or collect details of the losses caused by the harsh weather, particularly the avalanches which are still striking different high altitude areas in the valley,” he said.