With the recovery of the mortal remains of four more soldiers in avalanche hit forwards posts in north Kashmir’s Gurez area, the death toll has mounted to 14 soldiers.
With slight improvement in weather conditions, the rescue operation has been intensified in the area.
An officer of the Territorial Army and five civilians also died in separate incidents triggered by massive snowfall in the Kashmir Valley since January 24.
“In two unfortunate incidents of severe avalanches in Gurez sector on January 25, the Army has lost 14 of its valiant soldiers,” Col Rajesh Kalia confirmed on Friday.
“The Army deployed in difficult areas all along the line of Control has a post near Mahazgund village in Gurez Valley which was struck by an avalanche at around 5 pm on January 25, in which three shelters were buried under the snow trapping seven soldiers,” Kalia said.
“Swift action by a few soldiers at the post and timely help of the villagers of Mahazgund ensured saving of six soldiers. Unfortunately, three soldiers could not be saved whose bodies were retrieved on January 26 by the Avalanche Rescue Teams,” he said.
At approximately the same time, a patrol of one Junior Commissioned Officer and 10 other ranks was caught in a massive avalanche near Niru in Gurez Valley in which all the 11 soldiers were trapped, he said adding the rescue teams have led to recovery of mortal remains of all soldiers after concerted efforts in the inhospitable weather conditions.
Meanwhile, the common people heaved a sigh of relief as sun came out of clouds occasionally during the day, improving the weather conditions slightly. Even as the air traffic resumed fully during the day, the Valley remained cut-off as Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained closed for the fourth consecutive day.
Sources said that scores of trucks have been stranded along the highway. A traffic police official said that no traffic is held up between Banihal and Batote, the most dangerous stretch along the 30-kilometer highway. They said that two snow avalanches occurred in Shaitani Nallah area, which blocked a large section of the road.
The incessant rain and snowfall triggered landslides and shooting stones along various road stretches on the highway.