© TwitterAt least 67 dead in avalanches in Pakistan, India.
At least 57 people were killed and others were missing after avalanches in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over the last 24 hours, senior government officials said on Tuesday (14).
In neighbouring India, at least 10 people were killed after several avalanches hit the northern-part of Kashmir.
Two Pakistani officials said many villagers were still stranded in the avalanches in the Neelum valley area following heavy rains that also triggered landslides.
Many people were reported missing and feared dead as rescue efforts got under way, one of the officials said.
A senior Indian police official said five soldiers were among the 10 killed near the border between India and Pakistan.
In 2012, an avalanche engulfed a Pakistani army battalion headquarters near the Indian border killing at least 124 soldiers and 11 civilians.
Comment: Update - Jan. 15th:The Guardian reports:
Avalanches, flooding and harsh winter weather have killed more than 130 people across Pakistan and Afghanistan and left others stranded by heavy snowfall.
At least 93 people died and 76 were injured across Pakistan in recent days - with several still missing - while a further 39 were killed in Afghanistan, officials in both countries said on Tuesday.
Forecasts suggest more harsh weather is on the way.
In Kashmir's picturesque but conflict-riven Neelum Valley, heavy snowfall triggered several avalanches, including one that hit a village and killed at least 19 people. "Ten people are still missing," the disaster authority said.
Frequent avalanches and landslides occur in Kashmir during winter, often blocking roads and leaving communities isolated.
Authorities have shuttered schools, while several highways and roads were closed across the country's mountainous northern areas.
"The severe snowfalls and landslides in AJK have caused misery & deaths," tweeted Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, referring to the part of Kashmir controlled by Islamabad.
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Comment: Update - Jan. 15th:
The Guardian reports: