Jammu and Kashmir avalanche: Three soldiers rescued, two still trapped under snow

Srinagar: An avalanche hit an Army post near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

According to the J&K Police, the Army post caved in under snow in Machil sector of Kupwara district, trapping five soldiers.

Three out of the five soldiers of 56 Rashtriya Rifles (RR)  have been rescued and the search for the remaining was on, police said.

The RR party was on routine counter-insurgency duties when the mishap occurred, the sources said.

The bodies of four more Indian Army soldiers were recovered on Friday from under the debris of another avalanche in Gurez sector on the LoC, raising the deaths in the tragedy to 14.

At least 10 soldiers were killed and four others were reported missing after two avalanches hit an Army post and an Army patrol in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district on Wednesday and Thursday.

Notably, the divisional administration had issued the high avalanche warnings for today for hilly areas in Baramulla, Kupwara, Kulgam, Ganderbal, Shopian, Anantnag, Leh and Kargil districts, advising people living there not to venture out of their homes till the warnings were withdrawn.

District magistrates of the districts were asked to supervise all relief and rescue operations in avalanche-prone areas.

The 40-day long period of harsh winter called the 'Chillai Kalan' that started on December 21 will end on January 30.