Srinagar
At least five people died on Tuesday after an avalanche hit Kulan village near Gagangeer area of Sonmarag in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir.
Rescue operations have been launched by army and police in area, officials have said.
Since the area is cut off from Srinagar by road, rescue teams have been sent to area by foot.
Last week, an Army porter died and three others were rescued after they were struck by an avalanche along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.
The avalanche hit a forward location at Shahpur sector, trapping the porters. Army rescue teams immediately swung into action and managed to pull out the porters from the snow, according to officials.
One of them succumbed to injuries while being evacuated to the hospital, the officials said.
High-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh have been experiencing moderate to heavy snowfall, while the plains were lashed by rains.
Authorities in Ladakh had issued a low-danger avalanche warning in various areas and asked people to avoid venturing into the avalanche-prone areas, an official said.
Quoting a communication from the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), the official said low-level avalanche warning had been issued from Tuesday-Wednesday evening for various areas, including Leh.
He appealed to the people to be cautious and avoid venturing in the avalanche-prone areas. |
