An army officer and four members of a family died after avalanches hit a residential house and an army post in Bandipora and Ganderbal districts of Kashmir on Wednesday.
Police said Major Amit of High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) died after an avalanche hit their camp in Sonamar area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Ganderbal Superintendent Police Imtiyaz Parray confirmed that an army major died while seven troopers were rescued from the avalanche area.
In another avalanche incident, four members of a family died as their house was buried under snow in Gurez sector near Line of Control in Kashmir. Officials said the avalanche hit the house of one Habibullah around 4.30 am at Badugam, Gurez when the family was asleep.
Habibullah, his wife, son and daughter were buried under the avalanche and later their bodies were recovered by the police with the help of Army, they said and added one of the sons of Habibullah miraculously escaped from the avalanche.
Parts of Kashmir have been experiencing heavy snowfall and rains for the past few days following which the authorities issued a ‘medium danger’ avalanche warning, advising people not to venture into these areas.
Director Met department, Sonam Lotus said that the next 24 hours will be crucial as more snowfall is expected, particularly in higher reaches of Kashmir.
DH News Service
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