Massive avalanche hits Sonmarg in Jammu & Kashmir

Sonmarg is a hill station located in Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

Srinagar: Several tourists were rescued by authorities after the vehicles they were travelling in came under a heavy snow avalanche in the Hung area of hill station Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Friday.

The avalanche hit the Hung area of Sonamarg resulting in the burial of several vehicles under snow, a police official said. Prompt response from the authorities, including the police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local residents, and other agencies, ensued to conduct rescue operations.

Efforts are currently ongoing to ascertain if there are any additional individuals trapped in the aftermath of the avalanche, he said.

In view of the impending bad weather, authorities have already advised people that until the weather improves, they should exercise caution and avoid going to avalanche-prone locations.

Snow avalanches are defined as a sudden release of snow masses and ice on slopes, sometimes containing portions of rocks, soil, and vegetation. Avalanche speeds vary between 50 and 200 km/h for large dry-snow slides, whereas wet-snow avalanches are denser and slower (20–100 km/h).

If the avalanche path is steep, dry-snow avalanches generate a powder cloud.