Five people, including Army soldier, killed as avalanches hit Kashmir

Srinagar: At least five people including a soldier were killed after an avalanche hit an Army camp in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. 

The avalanche struck the Army camp at Sonamarg in Ganderbal today afternoon.

A police official said that an Army officer -- Major Amit of High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) -- was buried under the debris of the avalanche. 

An Army official said a soldier had died after getting trapped under the avalanche. However, the official did not reveal the rank and name of the soldier who lost his life in the incident.

The body of the soldier has been recovered. 

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, the police official said.

Habibullah Lone, his wife, daughter and son died after an avalanche hit their house in Gurez area, police said here.

Authorities had issued avalanche warnings for these areas asking people not to venture out of their homes till the warnings are withdrawn. Despite people not venturing out, avalanches have buried several homes and bunkers of the security forces in the past.

Avalanche tragedies occur in higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir after heavy snowfall.

Police and rescuers managed to pull an 18-year-old from the mounds of snow but he was the sole survivor.

"The avalanche struck the village at 4:00 am, killing four members of a family. One survivor was rescued," inspector general of police for the region, Javid Gillani, told AFP.

The victims were a 17-year-old boy, his 19-year-old sister and both their parents.

The soldier was killed when another avalanche hit an army barracks in the northern area of Sonmarg, said a military spokesman.

Indian-administered Kashmir has been witnessing one of the severest winters in recent decades, with heavy snow across the territory and temperature dropping to minus seven degrees Celsius (19 degrees Fahrenheit). 

Meteorologists have forecast more heavy snow across the territory over the next three days.

Authorities had already issued avalanche warnings, advising residents in mountainous areas not to venture out. 

Police last week evacuated 80 villagers from Waltengoo Nar -- where dozens were killed after a series of avalanches hit the area in 2005 -- in the south of the territory.