GILGIT: Three people were killed when they were hit by an avalanche in Phander valley of Ghizer district.

According to police, Mirza Nazir Shahbaz and Mirza Hassan, all residents of Dalomal Phander, were at Chishi Nullah to bring their yaks on Wednesday when the avalanche hit them.

The local volunteers and police personnel rushed to the area and retrieved the bodies. The deceased were shifted to Dalomal village to burial.

The intermittent snowfall has paralysed routine life in upper parts of Gilgit-Baltistan. The snowfall has disconnected Astore, Skardu, Ghizer and Shigar from other areas.

According to local people, the area has received seven to nine inches snow. Roads of Minimarg, Qamari, Rato and other areas have been blocked due to snowfall.

Seven to nine inches snow has been received in the areas. The locals said that people were confined to their houses. They said that they faced shortage of firewood and essential commodities. The temperature in the areas has dropped below minus 6 Celsius.

Meanwhile, two persons were killed and four received injuries when two trucks loaded with Chinese imported goods fell into a ravine near Rahimabad in Gilgit.

According Rescue 1122, the trucks were on their way from Sost to Gilgit. The drivers of both the trucks were trying to overtake each. The vehicles collided with each other and fell into the ravine.

Both the drivers, hailing from Faisalabad, died on the spot while four other persons injured in the accident.

The injured were shifted to district headquarters hospital in Gilgit for treatment.

The rescue teams also retrieved the bodies of the deceased from the ravine.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2019