12-year-old from Kashmir survived 18 hours under snow: "I thought I would die"

Samina was buried in her room following a deadly landslide in the Pakistani part of the rope. Her mother was sure she had lost her too, but said she had a miracle: "We didn't hear any noise." At least 74 people were killed in landslides

12-year-old from Kashmir survived 18 hours under snow: "I thought I would die"

A 12-year-old girl from Pakistani part of Kashmir was found alive after being buried in the snow for 18 hours. Samina Bibi said yesterday she was screaming and screaming for help while she was buried in a room under the snow. Pakistani officials said that the number of fatalities in landslides in Nilum Valley, in the Himalayan province, has risen to 74, while rescue teams continue to find bodies.

"I thought I would die there," said Samina, who was fortunate, from the hospital bed in Muzaffarabad. Dozens of other injured are hospitalized after being extracted from the air from the landslide area.

Semina's mother, Shahnaz Bibi, who lost another son and daughter in the disaster, said it was a miracle. She said that after being rescued from the snow earlier with her brother, they gave up hope of finding Samina alive. Semina said she couldn't sleep while waiting for her rescue. One of her legs broke and blood ran out of her mouth.

For the family, the disaster happened very quickly. "We heard no noise," said the mother, who described the moments before the landslide, which buried the three-story house where she and her family were hiding together with other residents of the village. At least 18 of them died. Samina and her family were around a bonfire during the landslide. "It happened at lightning speed," Shahnaz said.

She was hospitalized with a broken leg. Semina in hospital, yesterday (Photo: Reuters)

Girl rescued from snowfall in Kashmir region, Pakistan, January 15, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

The National Disaster Management Authority in Pakistan said the total number of fatalities in areas where heavy snowfall over the past two days has risen to a century. Even heavier snow is expected to drop in the area starting tomorrow.

In the Indian part of Kashmir Valley, at least ten people were killed, including five soldiers.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since independence in 1947 and both claim full control of the rope and have fought several times between them.

Deadly snowfalls in Kashmir region: At least 67 were killed in Pakistan and India