Death toll from Neelum Valley avalanche rises to 73

The death toll from a devastating avalanche in the Neelum Valley in Azad Kashmir rose to 73 on Wednesday as more bodies were recovered from the rubble, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) notified.

According to the SDMA, 22 shops and more than a hundred houses were buried in the avalanche, with at least 91 houses completely destroyed and 101 partially damaged.

Frequent avalanches and landslides occur in Kashmir during the winter, often blocking roads and leaving communities isolated. Authorities have shut down schools, while several highways and roads were closed across the northern mountainous areas.

The tragedy comes amidst a severe cold wave that has gripped the region since the first week of this month.

More than 130 people have been killed in recent days across the country and Afghanistan as severe weather persists. Authorities say they have struggled to assist people stranded in heavy snowfall.

In Balochistan, at least 31 people have been killed in separate weather-related incidents. "Most of those who died were women and children," said Mohammad Younus, an official with the provincial disaster management authority.

PM Imran visits AJK for damage assessment 

Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Azad Kashmir today for an assessment of the situation in the area.

In a post on Twitter, Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan had said the prime minister had taken notice of the avalanche and issued directives to the authorities concerned to take relief and rescue measures at the earliest.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the concerned institutions to provide full assistance to those affected,” she said, adding that the prime minister has also directed the concerned authorities to shift the affected people to safe places and provide "best" medical facilities to the injured.

Cold weather grips  Afghanistan 

Across the border in Afghanistan, more than 300 houses were either destroyed or partially damaged in weather-related incidents, said Ahmad Tamim Azimi a spokesman for the Natural Disaster Management Authority.

"A cold snap, heavy snowfall and rains that started two weeks ago have caused damage," he said, adding that most casualties were caused after roofs collapsed under thick snow. Hardest hit were southern Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul and western Herat provinces.

In Herat, seven people - all members of the same family and including children - died when their roof caved in, Azimi added. Harsh winters often take a heavy toll in mountainous Afghanistan, and the country remains poor despite billions of dollars in aid.