Heavy snowfall has almost paralyzed daily life in Gilgit-Baltistan, with residents of the high altitude valley of Gultari were the greatest sufferers. The valley of 12,000 inhabitants, located 150 km south of Skardu City, has been completely cut off because of the four feet of snow. There is no cellular communication system in the valley.
Ghulam Ali, a representative of Buniyal village told Business Recorder over landline telephone on Wednesday about the valley's stranded residents. Healthcare facilities are suspended because dispensaries have run out of essential medicines, he said. He feared an outbreak of pneumonia among the population. Several villages in Shingo, Shigar Thali, Ginyal, Matial, Pato Thali, Akbarabad, Honthali, Nogam and Fultu are under threat of avalanches, he said.