Snowfall, rain kill 12 in Kashmir

At least 12 people, including two army personnel and three migrants died, in the wake of heavy snowfall and rain across Jammu and Kashmir since last three days.

The heavy snowfall and rain have caused avalanches and flash floods in several parts of the state.

Police sources told Deccan Herald that till Wednesday evening reports of deaths of 12 persons and over 30 injured have been received across the state. They said two Army personnel, identified as Naik Vijay Prasad and Dharmindra Singh, of the 288 Medium Regiment died when an avalanche hit their camp at Batra in Kargil district of Ladakh region.

In a separate incident, two labourers from Nepal were buried under an avalanche when a stone quarry caved in, in the same Kargil district.

At least three people from a Gujjar community died when avalanches hit their ‘dhokas’ (temporary shelters) in remote Balsaran village of Dhamhal Hanjipora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district in the wee hours of Wednesday, police said.

Eight people also sustained injuries in the incident and they were rescued and later shifted to a hospital.

A 60-year-old woman, Faziad, died on Tuesday when her hut collapsed at Kansu village of Shopian district in South Kashmir. Reports said two people were killed during a thunderstorm and lightning in Mahore and Budhal areas of Rajouri in Jammu region on Tuesday. Another villager’s body was recovered from a nallah in Sunderbani area of the same district.

About hundred people from Gujjar and Bakerwal community have been evacuated from Waltengo Naar and other hamlets of Pir Panjal foothills in South Kashmir to safer places by the authorities. Nearly 200 people had died when a snow storm hit the remote village in February 2005. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the number of killings by avalanches and collapsed houses were “much higher.”

 “The death toll that the media is reporting is not correct and it is much higher than that,” he tweeted, requesting an “immediate correction” in the dissemination of information regarding the casualties.

The chief minister said the government has offered to place a helicopter to fly out any injured people.