PESHAWAR: At least 15 people were killed and three were trapped including FC personnel when a giant avalanche of snow crashed into a village in northern Pakistan on Sunday, Aaj News reported. 

As reported, disaster struck the village of Shershal in the district of Chitral, with four women and four children among the dead.

The avalanche hit eight homes at around 3:00 am, said Sheema Ayub Khan, a spokeswoman for the Disaster Management Authority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

She said three people had been rescued from the snow while at least three more were still trapped.

The dead body of a martyred FC personnel has been found along with six other injured people, reportedly.

Sources further said that Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has ordered to fasten the rescue operation in affected areas.

The region has been hit by heavy snowfall that is four feet (1.2 metres) deep in some places.

Shahab Hameed, a senior administration official in the area, confirmed the death toll, adding that most of the region's roads had been blocked, reportedly.

"We are trying to reopen the roads and help people," he said.

-Aaj News/AFP