SRINAGAR: Five dead bodies have been recovered while efforts are on to trace the remaining five after ten people came under a snow avalanche at Khardung La pass in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ladakh Friday morning.
Rescue operations are on at the mountain pass, which, at 17,500 feet, is among the world’s highest motorable roads. Rescuers from the district administration, police and the State Disaster Relief Force are at the site, which is 40 km from Leh town.
According to reports “five bodies recovered, five are still missing. The rescue operation is still underway”. Reports saying that a Scorpio vehicle was hit by a giant wall of snow. Khardung La is located north of Leh and is the gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys.
Meanwhile the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council officials said that the rescue operation is still underway. “We have spoken to Union Ministers Rajnath Singh & Dr Jitendra Singh about the rescue operation being conducted.”
Rescuers from the district administration, police and the State Disaster Relief Force are at the site, which is 40 km from Leh town. Reports said that a Scorpio vehicle was hit by a giant wall of snow.
Last January, a Swedish skier was killed in an avalanche while his companion was rescued in Jammu and Kashmir. The police said that two Swedish skiers were trapped under an avalanche in Affarwat peaks in Gulmarg.
Jammu and Kashmir has been witnessing heavy snowfall in the past few days. The Met department on Thursday issued an avalanche warning for nine districts of Jammu and Kashmir— Anantnag, Budgam, Baramulla, , Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kargil, Kulgam, Kupwara and Leh.
Divisional administration had warned people not to move around in avalanche prone areas, store enough edibles and other essentials as both surface and air connectivity is likely to remain disrupted during this period.
However Governor Satya Pal Malik has expressed grief over loss of precious lives due to snow avalanche at Khardung La in Leh district.
In his message Governor has prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families in their hour of grief.
Governor has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh for the Next of the Kin of those killed in the Avalanche.
Meanwhile Authorities at the Srinagar airport on Friday cancelled the flights to New Delhi following bad weather and low visibility in the Indian capital city.
An official of the airport said that due to bad weather in Delhi Indigo 6E2187/2148; Spicejet SG 160/161; Air Asia I5 715/716; Vistara UK611 flights have been cancelled. (PTK)
