Army rescues 73 civilians from avalanche as rain continues in J&K

As intermittent rains in the plains and snowfall in the higher reaches continued to lash Jammu and Kashmir for second day, Army on Saturday rescued 73 civilians in frontier district of Kupwara after an avalanche hit the region.

Reports said the avalanche, triggered by heavy rains on Friday evening, had blocked Tangdhar-Nasta Chhun road and 73 civilians were stranded.

“An avalanche rescue team swung into action after information about the stranded vehicles full of passengers, including women, children and elderly was received,” a defence spokesman said adding 73 civilians including women, children and a critically ill heart patient were rescued by the army team.

The rains and snow has brought down both day and night temperatures in Kashmir. The weather advisory issued by the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has warned people living in avalanche prone areas in Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipore, Kargil, Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam, Rajouri, Doda and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, to move out cautiously.

Due to rains and snow normal life remained disrupted in Kashmir on second day as Met department has predicted that inclement weather will continue till Sunday afternoon.

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway, only road link between the Valley and rest of the country, which was closed for vehicular traffic on Friday evening following landslides and falling stones at different places, was reopened for one way traffic on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

They said, “Rains continued to lash regions on both sides of the Jawahar Tunnel while upper reaches of Banihal received fresh snowfall during last night.”

Meanwhile, reports said, a solider was killed and two of his colleagues injured when lightning struck them in Samba district of Jammu on Friday night.