At least five people have been killed and several others injured after a massive avalanche hit Srinagar-Leh highway at Zoji La in Ladakh burying a number of vehicles and blocking the strategic highway.
The administration has launched a major rescue operation involving police, army, border roads organisation, SDRF and district administrations of Sonamarg and Drass after at-least 15 vehicles were partially or fully buried under snow following a massive avalanche in the afternoon. Men and machinery are at work to clear the road and look if there are any people trapped in the avalanche.
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Police said that the avalanche struck the vehicles on the highway in the afternoon at Captain-turn at Zojila Pass in Drass.
Sub divisional magistrate Drass, Vishal Atri said five people have been confirmed death in the tragic incident. Those deceased include three men, a woman and a child. However, Union minister Jitendra Singh, in a post on X, said seven people died and five were injured.
Officials said that the casualties are expected to rise as some vehicles have been fully buried under snow.
{{/usCountry}}Officials said that the casualties are expected to rise as some vehicles have been fully buried under snow.
{{/usCountry}}Atri said that the rescue operation was continuing from both the sides of the highway- Sonamarg side in Kashmir and Drass side in Ladakh.
"A large stretch of the highway has been affected and when we reached the site we saw some 12-15 vehciles under the snow. We couldn't go to the back side of the avalanche," he said.
He said that the administration then contacted Beacon and Army to launch rescue operation from both sides.
"More than 100 people will be involved in the rescue operation besides the snow clearance machines. There is police, SDRF, BRO, army ambulances and we have also taken help from personnel of Megha tunnel. The rescue operation from the Kashmir side was hindered owing to the traffic jam as there was an up-convoy from that side," he said.
He said that the rescue operation was continuing for five hours from 1 pm and was expected to continue for another three-four hours.
In a post on X, the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister's office said, “Chief Minister expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives in an avalanche at Zojila Pass today. He extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.”