Jammu & Kashmir: Avalanche In Khardung La In Ladakh Leaves Seven Dead; Search On For Three Others Missing

An Avalanche in Khardung La in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ladakh district hit a truck carrying 10 labourers, burying them in the snow, on Friday (18 January). While five were pronounced dead the next day, two more bodies have been recovered on Saturday (19 January), raising the death toll to seven.

While the Indian Army and other respective authorities continue the rescue operation for three others missing, a probe has been ordered into the deaths, reports NDTV.

“The digging done by them triggered a snow slide in the area, and these workers got buried under the snow,” said Leh Deputy Commissioner Avny Lavasa, as quoted by Indian Express, adding that they had received the information about the incident at around 7 am. The victims were residents of the sub-district, Zanskar.

“The temperature is minus 25 degree Celsius, and we are facing difficulties in carrying out the rescue operation,” said State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) Deputy Superintendent of Police Sonam Dorjay.

A senior official said that the rescue operation was put on hold on Friday evening and would resume on Saturday morning. “Army teams deployed near the incident site swiftly moved and commenced the search and rescue operations. Army aviation helicopters were also used to move deep search radars which can detect human beings through snow,” said a defence spokesperson.