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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 3:29 p.m. ET: ISLAMABAD -- A massive avalanche engulfed a Pakistani army battalion headquarters near the Indian border on Saturday, burying 124 soldiers and several civilians, officials told NBC News. More than 17 hours later, there were no signs of survivors.
"Though hectic rescue efforts were kicked off, the rescue team could not start the work as the avalanche spread to an area of one square kilometer (.62 miles) and is around a hundred feet deep" a military official told NBC News.
"At night temperatures fall to minus 30 (minus 22 Fahrenheit). In these extreme conditions the chances of any soldier surviving under a ton of heavy snow is very low" said the military official in Skardu.
Rescue efforts in the area were only possible with helicopters as no road link is available.
A military source said the death toll could be more than 150, as there were "two units - one was leaving and another was assuming the duty."
This is a major military loss on the part of Pakistan since the battle with India started in 1984 over the control of Sia Chin glaciers.
The victims were trapped in one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth, at an altitude of 15,000 feet near the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram mountain range.
The area is also one of the world's most militarily tense frontiers, where the Indian and Pakistani armies have confronted each other over disputed territory for decades.
Several civilian employees of the military were buried under the snow along with the soldiers of the 6 Northern Light Infantry Battalion, the military said in a statement, according to Reuters.
"This battalion headquarter (has been) situated at same place for the last 20 years and no incident of this nature has happened,'' it said.
Helicopters were deployed in a rescue operation. Troops used sniffer dogs to comb the area, said the military. Heavy engineering equipment was flown to the site from the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad.
Siachen is in the northern part of the Himalayan region of Kashmir. The no-man's-land of Siachen is 20,000 feet (6,000 metres) above sea level.
Military experts say the inhospitable climate and avalanche-prone terrain have claimed more lives than gunfire.
Muslim-majority Kashmir is at the heart of hostility between India and Pakistan and was the cause of two of their three full-scale wars.
Siachen has been described as the world's highest battlefield. Indian and Pakistani troops have fought at altitudes of more than 20,000 feet in sub-zero temperatures.
Between 10,000 and 20,000 Indian and Pakistani troops are stationed in the mountains above the glacier.
A tentative peace process is under way, with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday, the first visit to India by a Pakistani head of state since 2005.
Reuters and NBC's Fakhar Rehman in Pakistan contributed to this report.
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oh no!
Fresh Frozen Turn Coats
Lets just leave the two faced Pakistanis under the snow !!! India will not have to worry about cross border raids from them any more . Now if we just plain get out now , we won't have to worry about those back stabbers . Better we will not have to go look for them .
As you post, I want everyone here to be nice, and give them a break.
They were simply trying to really earn their billions in aid, and trying to help us...of, course. They were out there looking for Osama bin Laden. Wink wink, he's already dead, but they think we are stupid...oh, we are for giving them money.
Not all Pakistanis are Muslim fanatics the same way all American soldiers are not murders who go out and shoot defenseless women and children while they sleep. Many of these soldiers are just patriots doing their duty and protecting their country just like our own soldiers are doing their duty. To wish them ill or to say that what has happened is in any way a good thing is completely heartless and only helps to fuel anti-American sentiment. People need to grow up and recognize that most of these soldiers are no different than any other nation's soldiers. They do not make the policy, they simply follow the orders they receive from their chain of command.
oh no? you mean they are not going to blame americans and try to shake us down for money? JS is smoking the flag.
More the merrier. Less backstabbing liabilities on earth.
In the history, are there many examples, where one as acted as a friend taking all sorts of aids/help and backstabbed as in Osama case and helping Islamic militants fighting NATO forces in Afghanistan?
Half of NATO forces deaths are due to Pakis backstabbing.
If Pakistan is on the map, it is due to the US, British and other allies. Can there be more ungrateful people?
Keep making excuses for these losers and soon you will all be praying to mecca. Who gives a rats behind about pakistan?
that border area is one of the harshest places on Earth; since Muslim Pakistan split from Hindu India, they have been at a continual war, over 60 years, sorry for the soldiers who lost their lives.
So Sorry. These are all human beings with friends and families. Just doing their jobs. Living and working under these conditions is extremely difficult. Generating more hatred in an already hate filled world does nothing good. RIP.
Well, I am all broke up over this. Let us pray to the snow god for he is good.
hope they really cared about guarding Kashmir, as it appears they just gave their lives for it.
All religions and most governments are for fools...
Gotta be Bush /Cheney's fault....No, no,....Obama!
Probably going to ask us for another 5 billion or so for snowshovels.
Unfortunately, they will also probably get it, from those idiots in Washington.
Well said JS in SD. I'm hoping for the best for these soldiers, it could've happened to anyone and I couldn't imagine being buried like that.
Clearly Allah was not happy with Pakistan.
Lesson learned. Stay away from the Indian border and they won't need to use their new avalanche weapon.
Given how many of them are likely dead, you can safely say that some of them were anti American, radical Islamists, who would kill any one of us to guarantee a place in heaven according to the Koran, and some of them were just nationalistic soldiers with a job and family. I hope more of them were the radicals.
JS in SD,
I disagree with most of your comments. This time I agree. Good point and well said. And well needed I might add.
LOL @ Chris from yucaipa
That is as good a post as any...
Well said JS in SD.
Pakistan has come to such a point of no return that even those who want to save it can't save it.
It is going to have bloody sectarian and tribal battles like in Iraq.
This could not have happened to a more deserving bunch of backstabbing, low life bunch of cowardly, no good pricks even if it happened to the U.S. Congress.
Hope they are ok!
Why should we show concern for those people. They hate us in the name of Allah, and I hate them for they are cowards.
Well there goes 7200 virgins.
100 fewer "allies" trying to kill our troops.
According to the Quaran, Allah only gives each of us what we deserve.
Sorry, most have become martyrs.
By the by, US help was not timely!
I hope they are as ok and fresh as the fresh frozen tuna caught on Japanese Ships designed to freeze that fish as quickly as possible! Pakistani soldiers, yeah, right!
Their deaths are the will of allah - guess that allah does not like Pakistanis either. Of course,normal people might ask why a base was built at the bottom of a mountain where avalanches would occur...
This reminds me of a story of when we (the US Govt) sold an old submarine to these guys. They did not feel the need to shut all the hatches before submerging. They stated that 'allah would protect them'. To say the least - the US sailors did not share their beliefs. Sounds like nothing has changed in 30 years...
They are more prepared for war than snow. 8,000 ft. I hope they are OK.
In the Job 38:22-23, of the Holy Bible, GOD said, "Have you entered the treasury of snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the da of battle and war?"
Maybe we can send the West Baptist parishioners to show support with their "signs".
In the Job 38:22-23, of the Holy Bible, GOD said, "Have you entered the treasury of snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?"
Why not move the UN headquarters there with all staff. All human rights groups need to be packed too to help them. At least they can find some virgins!
Most of these post are so far off base its unbelievable, Its Kashmir not Afghanistan, would be nice if the two countries could settle their differences on that border and not have to put troops in harms way, But then Pakistan never could figure out a border. first they need to understand what a border is. blame the British for not drawing the border correctly when they created the divide. I guess it was Allah's will.
And GSA-bought snow shovels.
yeah, jonathan, cause human rights are for suckers, right?
Good idea. I suggest that we send every man/woman 'of the cloth' to the Himalayas to help these soldiers. I mean every single one from the Pope down to the single pedophile priest. Send the Rabbis, the Imams, everyone, save for those few who keep to themselves and teach nothing but PEACE, no excuses. That would include the Dalai Lama. Just abolish religion and you will abolish war.
We all go around worshiping Pinocchio, Donald Duck, Spiderman, The Tooth Fairy, God, Peter Pan, etc. Grow up you damned ignorant human beings, it is us in the universe, no bull@!$%# man-made creatures!
Matt~ If there were no religions, people would still fight over land, property, differing opinions, you name it. There is no such thing as Utopia here on earth. It just doesn't exist, and never will.
Two thoughts come to mind ... Bet Pakistan and the Muslim world will blame the U.S. for this. Alternatively, Obama will call and apologize for this as well.
You read my mind!
One thought came to my mind ... I bet some troll somewhere will somehow use this completely non-political article to make a dig against Obama.
K4... Thank you.
Troll. Why don't you find some other bridge to haunt? You waste my time slime.
Come on folks how can you blame this on Obama ,this is clearly an act of the Jews!
John McCains and Hillary will scream: they are all Syria and Iran's fault! Send arms!
My prayers go out for them.
I'm praying to the snow god today, and thanking him for his bountiful reward of an abundance of snow to the Paki Army.
Avalanche means grave danger no matter where you are from any, questions?
No questions at all. This is a terrible tragedy. I can not believe how many people turn everything into a political "discussion". People died here. The vitreol spewed is incredible. Shame.
could not happen to a better terrorist hiding army. karma is a bitch!!!!!
Zombiequest, how inane your comment is here. Imagine -- just try -- a wall of snow coming at you, enveloping you, with the consistency of wet cement, tumbling you, over and over and over until you can't even understand which way is up, until it all stops. And then, the cement constricts on you so that you cannot breathe. You try to do so anyway -- but only if your body has not already been broken into several pieces by the force of the snow, in which case you're not much caring anymore. If you do try to breathe, you find you are encased in a snow-cement tomb, with your lungs locked, and you are hoping to hell that someone is going to find you. You have about 10 minutes for them to do so before you are history. At that point in time I bet the last thing you or anyone else will be thinking about is why you died. Imagine that x 100+ tonight. Anyone who died in that slide died that way, and each have family wondering what is going on. I don't care who you are and what you believe: Nobody deserves a fate like that, and making fun of this event the way you are already is a tragic insult.
You genetically boring clown. Here's what happened. The Paki army stumbles down this canyon and the First Captain orders them to build a camp for the night. Corporal Zipperhead tries to get the Captain to change his mind claiming there could be an avalanche. Captain says no. Swoosh! Now who cares. They will blame the Americans and get an apology from Obama. (thanks Time4aPurge) Lesson? In the Paki Army? (and who wouldn't want to be) Learn how to ski. Next...
Hey, you're pretty smart - I think I'd better pay attention to YOU. YOU have THE answers. Thanks for being SO wise.
Every new thread has its dolt such as herb
WOW.... Horrible way to die. To be stuck in that snow and not be able to breathe. I don't care WHO you are. NO BEING should die this way... Awful. Where do these trolls come from who have so much nonsense to say? Wish You would all keep this to yourselves and let people with souls run things.
@louie99 I agree.
It is the will of Allah. Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!
The Pakistani's will somehow blame the United States for the Avalanche. Perhaps from American fighters making to much noise over Afghanistan.
My thoughts go out to these men and their families. Philosophical differences aside, these troops might be cold and suffering, and it's probably scary as anything for their loved ones to not know of their status.
No matter what their ideologies, Pakistanis are people too.
fully agree with your comments
It's funny how people call themselves Christian, then the moment something bad happens to someone else, they rejoice. Or maybe they don't believe in anything at all. They still rejoice. It is no wonder other countries hate us and our arrogance.
We are all God's children. ALL of us. Prayers for those lost in the avalanche, as well as their fathers, mothers, wives, sons and daughters.
Oh yeah. I remember those guys. The ones who sat on their asses in a compound in Mogadishu while our troops were being attacked by a couple thousand screaming Somali's with machetes and AK47's and dragging a dead chopper pilot thru the streets. Dubya's pals. Our allies.
Helloooooo! Dubya's been gone >3yrs now but they're still our "allies." Time to start blaming the clown prince.
I still fill with rage everytime I think of how our soldiers were dragged through the streets in their underwear while the people threw rocks at them. Eff those muslim mofo's....hope they all rot in hell and die horrible deaths!!!!!!!!!
I guess Allah was taking the day off. They blame ever other human encounter on a dead man.
Meh....
Can't wait to hear how they blame this one on the Americans.
In this case, they'd rather blame it on India.
No it will be the Mossad disguised as Yetis.
Thats the problem with carrying on a damn centurys long grudge with your neighbors. People! ditch the religious baggage and communicate.
they aren't at odds over religion, it's over land.
dig a little deeper, headhunter- why do both sides want that land (kashmir- holy land)? oh yeah, because of their differing religious beliefs...
The way I see it, is this they were human being's they had families just as we do, sure they don't like us American's but the are still human. this is such a bad way for anyone to die.
It was another sneak attack by the infidel Americans!
The only good Pakistini is a dead one, glad all these a-holes got buried alive, hope their still suffering under the snow.
Condolences to the families and friends of the victims. Lets hope the death toll is light. There is always a chance people have survived in an avalanche, but time is crucial. If people can maintain a pocket of open space around their face, they can survive for quite awhile. The cold is as much a threat then, as the lack of air. As a back country skier, I have had my share of experience with Avalanches. It is no way for anyone to die. If you're going to die in one, you want to hope it is right away, and not slowly freezing to death, or suffocating slowly.
Rip to those who did not make it. Your journey here in this world is over, and hopefully you are better for it. For you leave a lot of filth behind.
Has many condolences as they gave to the victims of 911.
It's just God's way of reminding us how stupid war is.
That was some of the greatest news I have heard yet.
allah's will be done... guess these muslims won't be beating their women anymore!
Allah or not, those are humans under that snow and they have all of several minutes to live once that iron blanket rolls over them - IF they lived through the crushing. If it were you, how would you feel about it?
Cold?
Thankful to know the The ONE True Living GOD and HIS Son JESUS! "For this is Life Eternal, to know the One True Living GOD and JESUS Christ, whom HE has sent." John 17:3
Oh get Real.
@Alan - you are so full of crap! Hey, Snow White is the one you need to pray to, she is the real deal. So start praying to her as it is no different that what you are doing now.