Reporting snapshot · 23 January 2026. This report reflects The Nation's account of the Chitral avalanche published on 23 January 2026 and does not include later updates.
What happened
At least nine people were killed when an avalanche struck the remote Seregal area of Damil Arandu in Chitral district on 23 January 2026, officials said. Deputy Commissioner Chitral Rao Hashim said the avalanche engulfed 10 members of the same family, burying them under heavy snow and debris.
The rescue
Rescue teams recovered the bodies of nine victims, while one child was pulled out alive and shifted to a medical facility for treatment, the deputy commissioner said. The bodies of the deceased were later transported to the Chitral Wardaap Drosh area, he added.
Why it matters
The deaths underline the risk that heavy winter snow poses to remote communities in Chitral, where access is difficult and rescue efforts depend on local teams. The same report said rescue and evacuation operations were continuing in the Tirah Valley of Khyber district, where internally displaced persons had been stranded by heavy snowfall and authorities were relocating affected families to safer areas.
What is still uncertain
The report did not give the ages of the victims or of the rescued child, and it did not describe the child’s condition beyond saying treatment was under way. It also did not say whether anyone remained missing in the Seregal area.
Sources & reporting notes
This article summarises published reporting and is not eyewitness reconstruction. Sources were reviewed on 23 January 2026.
- The Nation — Avalanche in Chitral claims nine lives, one child rescued alive23 January 2026 · The death toll, the deputy commissioner's account of the family buried at Damil Arandu, the rescue of one child and the transfer of the bodies to Chitral Wardaap Drosh.
