At least 11 people, including two Army jawans died in Kashmir, as freaky weather wreaked havoc amid sluggish response of the State Government to come to the rescue of commoners. Scores of people have been wounded as snow avalanches collapsed houses and huts, uprooted trees and washed away roads in the Valley and ladakh region.
Most areas in the Valley are reeling under complete power breakdown while waterlogged roads are difficult to negotiate. The authorities have announced closure of schools and colleges up to March 15 as several areas in upper reaches are inaccessible due to heavy snowfall.
Police said that three persons have died in an avalanche at Balsaran village in Damhalhanjipora pocket of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Tuesday. The avalanche hit several hutments built along a slope in the hilly region. At least ten persons, who were rescued from the village, have been hospitalised. Sources said that three bodies have been recovered from the area.
The authorities extended high danger avalanche warning to more areas in the higher reaches and asked the people not to venture on steep slopes for the next 24 hours. Heavy loss of the livestock has also been reported from Balsaran village.
Police said that 14 families, comprising of 65 members living in remote Waltengo Nar village, were evacuated to Qazigund town following threat of avalanches. The village was earlier hit by blizzards in February 2003, which killed scores of people and swept away their dwellings.
Reports said that at least two Army personnel lost their lives after an avalanche hit their camp in Kargil sector of ladakh region. Police have identified the deceased Army jawans as Naik Vijay Prasad and Dharmindra Singh of 82-Field Regiment. The heavy snowfall has disrupted normal life in the entire Valley.