Ten soldiers killed, several missing as two avalanches hit Gurez Sector, says Army

The army official said rescue operations were launched and seven soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer were saved. “Bodies of three soldiers were retrieved his morning,” he added. The official said another avalanche hit a patrol party which was on its way to a post in Gurez sector last evening.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed sadness at the death of soldiers. He tweeted, “Deeply saddened at the death of our jawans in an avalanche in Kashmir.”

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also extended his condolences to families of soldiers who lost their lives. “My heartfelt condolences to Army men who’ve lost their lives in avalanches in J&K in the past two days,” said Parrikar. 

Rescue teams have so far retrieved seven bodies from the “spot of the incident,” the official said. Yesterday, an officer was killed an avalanche at Sonamarg in central Kashmir Ganderbal district while four members of a family died in another avalanche in Gurez sector yesterday.

Authorities have issued a high danger avalanche warning in hilly parts of snow-bound Kashmir valley in view of fresh snowfall which has been going on intermittently for past three days.