*Jammu and Kashmir*: Over 10 Indian Army soldiers killed and injured inOccupied Kashmir due to heavy snowfall and the avalanches.
Areas near Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are facing heavy snowfall in thepast 48 hours and snowslides at several places took away the life of 10people including five soldiers and five civilians.
The areas covered under snowfall blanket include Gurez, Bandipur, Kupwara,Naugaon and Baramula areas of North Kashmir where Indian Army troops aredeployed. Snowfall of 51 cms has been recorded in Gurez Sector, 117 cmsrecorded in Machhil Sector, 56 cms recorded in Keran and Tangdhar Sectorand 61 cms Uri & Gulmarg Sectors.
The lowest temperature reported in areas of deployment is minus 57 degreesin North Glacier (Siachen).
The army troops are put on high alert due to the ongoing situation andtheir well-rehearsed drills have saved numerous lives and loss to propertyin the region.
Army helicopters of Army Aviation Corps were also pressed into service forexamining the situation and helping rescue operation teams deployed in thearea.
Nearly seven soldiers who came under snowslide in the Tangdhar Sector wererescued by the army team and a similar case happened in Naogaon sector werearmy personnel saved four BSF personnel affected by a snowslide.
Rescue operation is underway at Machhil Sector were dedicated rescue teamsare currently engaged in rescuing five soldiers out of which four soldiershave been pulled out of snow.
Read Top Stories
Due to chances of major snowslide in the region of Kanzalwan area of Gurez,more than 200 troops stationed there were moved to safer places.
Shriram Ambarker, SP, Kupwara, said five Army jawans were buried under thesnow while four of them had succumbed. Five civilians were also killed inan avalanche in Ganderbal district.
Two bodies were found on Monday night and three were found on Tuesdaymorning. The bodies were handed over to their relatives.
Multiple Search and Rescue columns of the Fire and Fury Corps were launchedto rescue a group of tourists who were stranded in bad weather whileundertaking the annual ‘Chaddar Trek’ on the frozen Zanskar River inLadakh.
Responding swiftly to request received from the UT administration, columnswere launched from two directions to reach the tourists who were stuck atNiraq Village along the Zanskar River.
