Pakistani avalanche kills 4; toll at 50 in a week

Islamabad, Apr 4: An avalanche hit a Pakistani mountain village today killing at least four people and burying nine, taking the toll from a week of killer avalanches to nearly 50, government officials said.

The avalanches have swept down mountains in the Chitral region of Pakistan's Hindu Kush mountains, 280 km north of Islamabad, after heavy snow was followed by rain.

The avalanche today hit the remote village of Birgon.

''With this, now we have a figure of nearly 50 dead,'' senior police officer Ijaz Ahmed said by telephone from the area.

Snow had blocked mountain roads hampering rescue and relief efforts and authorities were using helicopters to take food and other supplies to affected areas.

REUTERS