Five soldiers feared dead as snowfall triggers avalanches

SRINAGAR: In two separate incidents, five soldiers have gone missing along the Line of Control (LoC) after the heavy snowfall in the Valley triggered an avalanche, while an body of an Army porter who was missing since yesterday after he slipped from a mountain top due to slippery conditions was found on Tuesday, even as search operations for the missing soldiers continued today.
The Valley which received medium of heavy snowfall throughout the day in various parts remained cut-off for the second consecutive day as the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and Mughal road remained closed for traffic, while over 70 people, stranded after heavy rains and snowfall at Surankote were rescued today.
In Jammu, famous hill station Patnitop received season's first snowfall while chopper service remained hit to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi from Katra base camp due to rain.
As many as six persons, all working for various defence services, are reported missing in three different avalanches that hit various frontiers in the North Kashmir sector in last 24 hours, the reports told, adding that one body recovered so far was that of an Army porter who slipped from a mountain yesterday.
The state is experiencing widespread snowfall and rain with the meteorological (MeT) office forecasting present weather conditions to continue till Thursday due to a western disturbance over the state.
In first of these incidents, an avalanche hit an installation of 20-Dogra in Nowgam sector in Kupwara district from where two soldiers have been reported missing in the calamity while in yet another avalanche that hit Army's Mani Post at Bagtoo in Gurez sector in Bandipora district, triggered by snowfall since Monday, has had three soldiers missing from the post.
"Two soldiers, who were part of a party, patrolling forward areas in Nowgam sector in Kupwara district, slipped from a mountain. Efforts are on to trace the missing soldiers," Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said, adding another snow avalanche hit Army's Mani Post at Bagtoo in Gurez.
"Three jawans went missing from a forward post in the Kanzalwan sub-sector of Gurez (Bandipora district) during heavy snowfall," he said.
The avalanche hit the Army post during the intervening night, a police official said.
"It smashed a security installation that was being manned by 36 Rashtriya Rifles. It has washed down three soldiers, he said, adding that search and rescue operation has been launched in the area to trace the missing soldiers.
"Efforts are on to trace the missing soldiers but continuous snowfall was hampering the rescue and search efforts," he added.
Meanwhile, a porter working with Army slipped to death from a mountain top due to slippery conditions following fresh snowfall in border town of Gurez on Monday.
Late last evening, reports from Gurez said a resident of Kilshey village in Tulail slipped from a height during snowfall and died. He was identified as Ghulam Qadir Khan. Khan was part of a 4-member porters group. All others, however, skidded safe in the incident.
Snowfall usually triggers avalanches in the border belts and hit the security installations, which are located in the area. It is happening almost every year.
As many as 14 soldiers were killed in January this year in two snow avalanches which hit an Army post and patrol party in Gurez sector.
The snowfall continued on Tuesday making it all white in different parts of the state.
Famous hill station Patnitop on Tuesday received season's first snowfall while chopper service remained hit to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi from Katra base camp due to rain.
Patnitop received first snowfall on Monday morning, said an official, adding that the snow recorded at the hill station was around 4 to 5 inches.
An official further said that Nathatop, another tourist destination, which is just few kilometers away from Patnitop received 1.5 to 2 feet of snow.
"The road leading to Nathatop was closed due to snowfall," he added and said that tourists at Patnitop welcomed season's first snowfall. Hoteliers also termed it as healthy sign of business ahead as it was timely snowfall and will attract more tourists.
Meanwhile due to continuous rains, chopper service from Katra base camp to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi remained suspended for second consecutive day.
"Due to rains and dense fog in the Trikuta Hills, chopper service remained affected," they said.
They said that the service will resume only after the weather clears.
However, pilgrimage on new battery car track was also suspended as preventive measure in view of landslide and shooting stones due to rains.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the country today as flight operations at the Srinagar airport were suspended and the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and Mughal road were closed for traffic due to snowfall and rain.
Srinagar, turned white on Tuesday due to first snowfall of the season since late last night after rain during the day yesterday, ending long dry spell. Roof and tree tops had turned white as people woke up in the city this morning. The open fields and parks besides roads were also under white blanket.
However, people, including children, were out to enjoy the snowfall which was going on at the time of filing this report as the night temperature was above normal though day become cold since yesterday due to rain followed by snow.
Hills surrounding Srinagar had also turned white due to moderate snowfall since last evening.
The 300-km long highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was closed following heavy rains and snowfall at several places, including the Jawahar Tunnel, and incidents of shooting stones near Panthal.
In Jammu, the Mughal road, connecting Poonch and Rajouri with south Kashmir's Shopian district, was also closed after heavy snowfall in Pir Ki Gali.
"The highway and the Mughal road are closed for the second day today. The highway was closed due to heavy snowfall at the Jawahar Tunnel, the Patnitop and Ramban areas and landslides at Pathiyal. There has been heavy snowfall in Pir Ki Gali and other areas en route Mughal road," police officials said.
In the state's summer capital, flight services to and fro from the Srinagar International Airport were hit due to poor visibility caused by the heavy snowfall, airport authorities said.
Director, Srinagar airport, Sharad Kumar said, "Air traffic to and fro from the airport has been suspended due to low visibility. There has been no improvement in the visibility around the airport so far."
"We are monitoring the situation. If visibility improves, we will resume flight operations," he said.
However, in Gulmarg, the coldest in Jammu and Kashmir at minus 6.5 degrees Celsius, the spell of snowfall brightened prospects for winter sports as nearly four feet of snow accumulated at the ski resort.
Srinagar, which is experiencing intermittent rains since morning, received snowfall till 10 am, while heavy snowfall was recorded in Sonamarg and Baltal, base camps of the annual Amarnath Yatra in central Kashmir, the MeT office said.
Moderate snowfall was reported from across south Kashmir, including Pahalgam, a tourist resort, where seven inches of snow has accumulated so far, it said, adding 3.5 feet of snow accumulated at Sonamarg.
The Srinagar-Kargil, Bandipora-Gurez, Kupwara-Macchil, Kupwara-Keran and Kupwara-Karnah roads were also closed, police officials said
In Jammu, there was very heavy snowfall in the hill regions of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Kathua, Rajouri, Reasi and Poonch districts, due to which some inter-district and inter- state roads were closed.
Kargil in Kashmir recorded minus 3 degrees Celsius, Leh minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, Kokernag minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, Srinagar minus 0.2 degrees.
The MeT has forecast more snow and rain in the valley over the next few days.
Meanwhile, over 70 people, stranded after heavy rains and snowfall at Surankote in Jammu and Kashmir, were rescued today, police said today.
The commuters, including 42 labourers from outside the state, were trapped at Chatapani-Pushana near Peer Ki Gali yesterday due to heavy snowfall in the upper reaches of Surankote, Station House Officer of Surankote police station Anzar Mir said, adding that they were evacuated and taken to a company base camp at Bufliaz.
Peer Ki Gali along the Mughal road, connecting Kashmir with the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, is experiencing heavy snowfall since yesterday.
The road was closed on Sunday evening as a precautionary measure following a weather forecast which predicted moderate to heavy snowfall and rains in wide parts of Jammu and Kashmir from December 11 to 15.
The inclement weather, which resulted in considerable drop in the day temperature, also led to the suspension of helicopter and battery car service at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Trikuta Mountains, officials said.
However, the pilgrimage to the shrine was on despite heavy rains.