Avalanche kills 30 Pakistani soldiers, buries 100 others

At least 30 Pakistani soldiers have been killed and more than 100 others buried after an avalanche hit their camp in a remote area in northern Pakistan on the border with India.

The incident occurred Saturday morning in the Siachen glacier in the Karakoram range of Himalayas, according to Pakistan army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas .

Siachen glacier is among the highest army posts in the world.

“More than 100 soldiers of NLI (Northern Light Infantry) including a colonel were trapped when the avalanche hit a military camp,” Abbas said.

The rescue operation is underway, he went on to say.

“Sniffing dogs, helicopters and troops on ground are employed on rescue efforts,” a Pakistani military statement said.

Rescuers face difficulties in reaching the mountainous area, which suffers extreme weather conditions, according to state-run Pakistan television.

Pakistan’s mountainous areas neighboring Afghanistan and the Himalayan territory divided between India and Pakistan are prone to avalanche.