Thirty feared killed in Kashmir avalanche

A snow avalanche hits a cluster of houses at Gulabbagh near lower Munda on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Friday.

At least 30 people were feared killed in a snow avalanche that hit a cluster of houses at Gulabbagh near lower Munda on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Friday.

HT Image

Official sources said locals informed authorities about the mishap after which the army and police have rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.

Bodies of three persons - two men and a 12-year-old girl - have been recovered so far, the sources said.

Two of the three victims were identified as Shabina and Mohammad Shafi Gujjar of Gulabagh-Gujjarpati. It is the first time that an avalanche has struck Gulabbagh.

On this day in 2005, a snow storm hit Waltengo near Anantnag, claiming over 200 lives.