Major, 5 others die in Kashmir avalanches;Srinagar-Jammu National Highway closed, 150 rescued in Gurez

STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: An Army Major and four members of a family were among six killed today in avalanches and other snow-related incidents in parts of Kashmir even as the Valley remained cut-off from the rest of the country as the traffic movement on Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed due to snowfall.
An avalanche hit an army camp at Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Wednesday morning, a police official said.
He said an army officer — Major Amit of High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) — was buried under the debris of the avalanche.
An army official said one 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.
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.
The avalanche struck Badoogam village in Tulail area of Gurez in the wee hours today and buried the house of Mehraj-ud-Din Lone, a police official said.
He said the house collapsed under the debris of the avalanche resulting in death of 55-year-old Lone, his wife Azizi (50), 22-year-old son Irfan and daughter Gulshan (19).
Lone another son, Reyaz Ahmad, was rescued by the authorities and admitted to a hospital for treatment, the official said.
The authorities in Kashmir have issued avalanche warning in higher reaches of the valley following fresh snowfall yesterday and advised people to stay away from the mountains and foothills.
Meanwhile, JKP launched a rescue operation in Bandipora and rescued 25 families to safer places. Besides, police rescued two pregnant ladies in Shalkot and Judinambal areas of Sopore and shifted them to hospital for treatment.
In view of the heavy snowfall and apprehension of snow avalanche in Khadiyall and Ismarg areas of Gurez Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a rescue operation and rescued 10 families consisting of 70 members in Khaidyal and shifted them to Dawar Gurez. In Ismarg 15 families consisting of 80 members were rescued and shifted to safer place in Kanzalwal in the jurisdiction of Police Station Gurez.
Police during a rescue operation in Sopore after they received an information that two pregnant ladies are stranded in their homes in Shalkot and Judinambal areas due to heavy snowfall.
Meanwhile, a ‘high danger’ avalanche warning was issued for some avalanche-prone slopes of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
Chandigarh-based Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) issued the warning valid for the next 24 hours starting at 5 PM on Wednesday.
A SASE advisory said “high danger” warning is in place for avalanche prone slopes in Kupwara, Bandipora, Anantnag, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Budgam, Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Doda and Kishtwar districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
High-danger avalanche warning for the same period has also been issued for avalanche prone slopes in Kullu, Chamba, Lahaul and Spiti, Mandi, Kangra, Sirmour and Kinnaur districts of Himachal Pradesh.
“People are advised to keep clearing the snow deposition from rooftops of their houses/bunkers to avoid damages,” it said.
SASE said fresh snowfall had occurred at many places in both the states since yesterday. Banihal Top (19 cm), Haddan Taj (85 cm), Gulmarg (81 cm), Drass (55 cm) in Jammu and Kashmir, and Solang Nala (22 cm), Dhundi (116 cm) and Patsio (15 cm) in Himachal Pradesh had received fresh snowfall, it added.
Surface and air links between Kashmir and rest of the country were cut off today due to snowfall in the valley as the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed for traffic and all flights to Srinagar Airport cancelled.
“The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has been closed for traffic due to snowfall which has rendered the road slippery.
Efforts are on the make the road traffic worthy at the earliest,” an official of the Traffic Control Department said.
Most of the flights to and for Srinagar International Airport have been cancelled due to poor visibility.
“Two airlines have put their flights to Srinagar on a stand by while rest of the carriers have cancelled their flights for the day,” an official of the Airport Authority of India said. With more snowfall forecast over the next 24 hours, the opening of Srinagar-Jammu Highway — the only all weather road link between the Kashmir and rest of the country — seems unlikely on Wednesday.
The closure of the road link has resulted in rise in prices of essential commodities like vegetables and food grains.
The stocks of cooking gas have depleted significantly as the trucks carrying the supplies have been either held up in Jammu or stranded en route the 294-km road.
Officials in the Divisional Administration maintain that there are enough stocks of essentials while market checking squads have been formed to keep the prices under control. Meanwhile, most parts of Kashmir Division including Ladakh continued to reel under subzero temperatures with Gulmarg in north Kashmir being the coldest recorded place.
The minimum temperature in the skiing resort fell to minus 3.4 degrees Celsius.
The mercury has failed to breach the freezing point for more than 24 hours there as the maximum temperature yesterday stood at minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, an official of the MET department said.
Leh in Ladakh region recorded a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday expressed grief over the deaths caused due to snow avalanches and house collapse incidents across the State due to heavy snowfall.
Mehbooba directed the divisional administrations of Kashmir and Jammu to remain alert and provide all help and assistance to people in these difficult times, besides passing instructions for ensuring clearance of snow and ensure availability of other services to people. She directed the Deputy Commissioners and District SPs of the Kashmir Valley to monitor situation in their respective areas and extend all help to stranded people, infirm and patients.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Nazir Ahmad Gurezi also condoled the demise of four persons who died when an avalanche hit village Budugam in Gurez valley of Bandipora following heavy snowfall in the area.
In his condolence message, the Deputy Speaker expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls.
He expressed gratitude towards the administration, police and army for launching immediate rescue operation in the area to recover the bodies of the deceased. He asked district administration to remain vigilant following the avalanche warning for higher reaches of the Valley.
Gurezi also asked SDM, Gurez to process the ex-gratia cases in favour of the next of kin of the deceased immediately.