SRINAGAR: with the Kashmir Valley witnessing heavy snowfall, avalanches hit an Army camp and a residential house on Wednesday causing the death of five, including an Army Major and four members of a family. Meanwhile, a civilian was killed after the rooftop of his house collapsed in the district of Kupwara.
Defence spokesperson in Srinagar Colonel Rajesh Kalia told Express that the avalanche hit the Army barracks at Sonamarg in Ganderbal district early in the morning. “Some armymen were trapped under tonnes of ice. A rescue operation was launched and the trapped soldiers were rescued. However, an officer lost his life in the incident,” said the spokesperson.
Sources identified the deceased officer as Major Amit Sagar. “At least eight soldiers were trapped after the avalanche hit their barracks in the territorial Army camp of 115 Bn in Sonamarg around 5.45 pm. Major Amit was killed in the avalanche while other trapped soldiers were rescued,” said a source.
During the wee hours, an avalanche hit a residential house at Badugam in Tulail area of Gurez sector along the Line of
Control (LoC) in Bandipora district. “The house was buried in ice after being struck by the avalanche. Four inmates, including the house owner Habibullah, 50, his wife Azizi Begum, 48, daughter Gulshan Bano (19) and son Irfan Ahmad, 17, were killed. However, one of the sons of the house owner, identified as Riyaz Ahmad, 18, was rescued and shifted to a nearby hospital,” an official said.
Meanwhile, a man was killed after he fell while clearing snow from the rooftop of his house in Kupwara. A police officer said Abdul Gani Ganaie fell from the rooftop after it collapsed due to heavy snowfall. “He died on the spot while the house owner sustained injuries and has been hospitalised,” he said.
In a related development, two families had a narrow escape after their house collapsed due to snowfall in Panthachowk area on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in Srinagar.
The upper reaches of Kashmir, including Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Yousmarg, Karnah, Keran, Gurez, Machil and Uri, are experiencing moderate to heavy snowfall, while the plains including Srinagar arewitnessing intermittent snowfall.
Due to the snowfall, surface and air connectivity between Srinagar and the rest of the country has been disrupted. The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the only link connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, has been closed for traffic due to snowfall. Air traffic also remained suspended for the second day on Wednesday as no flights could take
off or land at the Srinagar airport.
A weather department official said, “More snowfall is expected in the next 24 hours. It will be moderate to heavy in upper reaches.”
A government official said people in the upper reaches of the Valley have been advised to remain vigilant and stay indoors.
A police officer said in view of the heavy snowfall and apprehension of avalanches in Khadiyall and Ismarg areas of Gurez in Bandipora district, police launched an operation and rescued 10 families in Khaidyal and shifted them to safer places. “In Ismarg, 15 families were rescued and shifted to a safer place in Kanzalwal,” he added.