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Avalanche kills Swiss tourist in Gulmarg; two rescued
A Swiss national was killed and two foreigners were injured in an avalanche that hit Jammu and Kashmir's ski resort Gulmarg on Friday afternoon.
A Swiss national was killed and two foreigners were injured in an avalanche that hit Jammu and Kashmir's ski resort Gulmarg on Friday afternoon.
A group of six skiers from Switzerland were enjoying the sport on the slopes on Friday afternoon when the avalanche hit the tourist resort between Kongdoori and Afferwath.
Three of them were trapped in the snow. While other tourists escaped with minor injuries, Arno Roy, 59, was found dead by the rescuers, police said.
"Three people were skiing in the upper reaches of Gulmarg when the avalanche hit the area. All three were trapped, and while two were rescued, Roy had died before the rescue team could reach him," said Baramulla district commissioner Ghulam Mohammad Khawaja.
Kashmir Valley, including Gulmarg, experienced heavy snowfall earlier this week.
The meteorological department had issued an avalanche warning two days ago for all mountainous areas of the state.
On Wednesday, police had evacuated 20 families from avalanche-prone areas in various parts of the Valley.
Gulmarg, 53 km from Srinagar in north Kashmir, is rated among the top ski resorts in the world, with a recent CNN poll placing it in the top 20 in the world. The resort peaks at an altitude of more than 13,000 ft and has one of the longest and highest ski slopes in Asia. After militancy started declining, Gulmarg became a favoured ski destination.
