GILGIT, Jan 3: The hilly areas of Gilgit and Baltistan are in the grip of severe cold, where snowfall has been recorded at three to five feet after Sunday’s rains.

Reports reaching here indicate that the areas of Astore, Hunza, Nagar, Ghizer, Babusar, Sust, Chupurson, Phander, Teru, Chilim, Minimurg, Gultari, Immit and Naltar have been covered with snow which has disconnected land access to these areas.

The reports say that the residents of these areas are experiencing a shortage of food, fuel and medicine.

In Gultari, at least 12 children have been reported to have died of pneumonia and severest cold over the past week as the remote village along the Line of Control has remained cut off from the rest of the country due to snowfall with the onset of winter in November.

In the freezing temperature, the people face fuel shortage because of the shortage of firewood. Telephone service is also suspended in many parts of the area, according to reports.

People in major towns of the mountainous region said that life had become unbearable for them due to shortage of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and firewood. They added a kilogramme of LNG was being sold out Rs60 and 40kg firewood for Rs250.

They said that cold spell had also caused water shortage in some areas as water froze in pipes and sometimes ruptured pipelines.

Perpetual loadshedding of electricity in some areas and lack of power supply in others is another factor adding to the misery of the people, they said.