16 dead in Pak as landslide hits passenger bus

Islamabad, Oct 19 Sixteen people were killed when a passenger bus was hit by a landslide in Skardu district of Pakistan's northern Gilgit-Baltistan, a senior official said.

In a statement, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Skardu, Anas Iqbal the accident took place on Sunday morning when the bus, which was en route to the district from Rawalpindi, was struck by the landslide, Xinhua news agency reported

He added that everyone on board the bus were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the rubble.

"The landslide occurred in a remote area, miles away from residential settlement, so there was no loss of life or property except for the passengers."

Sources from Skardu told Xinhua that the victims included women and children.

The bodies have been shifted to a nearby hospital from where they will be handed over to their relatives, meanwhile the area is being cleared for traffic, the DC said.

Landslides are prevalent in the Gilgit-Baltistan region owing to its mountainous terrain.

Talking to Xinhua about the incident, Rashid Bilal, spokesperson of Pakistan meteorological department said that lately there have not been enough rains in the area to cause landslides.

The possible reason of the accident might be the slow meltdown of the ice in the affected area as the region is receiving good sunlight due to clear weather, he added.

( With inputs from IANS )