Avalanches claim at least 50 lives in northern Pakistan

At least 50 people have been killed in Pakistan's northern areas in the last one week due to avalanches caused by snowfall and heavy rains in the mountainous region.

At least 50 people have been killed in Pakistan's northern areas in the last one week due to avalanches caused by snowfall and heavy rains in the mountainous region, officials said on Wednesday.

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The latest deaths were reported from Birgon village where four persons were killed when an avalanche struck their home on Tuesday, rescue officials said in Islamabad.

They said avalanches were causing widespread destruction in the areas near Chitral, a popular summer resort.

"We may have an increased death count as after the latest avalanche around a dozen people are still buried underneath rubbles of houses and we don't know if they are alive," Mohammad Khan, a police official in Chitral, said.

He said incessant rains had also caused many links on the Korakoram Highway to be cut off due to landslides and rescue teams were finding it difficult to transport food and other essential items to affected villages since March 29, when the rains started.