At least 117 people were killed along the Afghan-Pakistani border after three days of heavy snowfall which has caused a series of deadly avalanches on Sunday. The death toll is rising, but rescuers could not reach isolated areas, where many people remain under the snow.

Most of the accidents occurred in Afghanistan, where at least 107 people died and 65 were injured, said Omar Mohammadi, a representative of the National emergency management administration of Afghanistan. Mohammadi said that the majority of victims are women and children and that fatal cases were registered in the Eastern provinces of Nuristan, Northern Parwan, Sari Pul, Badakhshan and Eastern Wurdackii.

At least 50 people were killed in the district of barg-e-Matal Nuristan province to the North of Kabul, where the merciless snow cellar under the village and closed the road that the rescuers are unable to reach the scene.

The avalanche struck the district of Chitral on Saturday evening, when most people were asleep. 13 people were confirmed dead and 19 others injured, said Shahab Ahmed, district coordination officer of Chitral. A destructive wave of snow and ice has destroyed 19 homes. Ahmed said that at least one soldier was killed in Chitral after the snow hit the Outpost, and 6 soldiers were wounded after the incident. Next snow storm is expected to engulf the border area again on Friday.
sections: Accidents, World News