Seven people have been killed and five others injured after a massive avalanche struck the Srinagar-Leh highway at Zoji La in Ladakh, burying several vehicles and blocking the strategic route.
At least 15 vehicles were partially or completely covered under snow when the avalanche hit in the afternoon, Hindustan Times reported.
Rescue Efforts Launched Across Agencies
A large-scale rescue operation has been launched involving the police, Army, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and district administrations of Sonamarg and Drass.
Men and machinery have been deployed to clear the road and search for any individuals trapped under the snow.
Police said the avalanche struck vehicles at Captain-turn at Zojila Pass in Drass.
Conflicting Casualty Figures, Toll May Rise
Sub-divisional magistrate Drass, Vishal Atri, said five deaths have been confirmed in the incident, including three men, a woman and a child.
However, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, in a post on X, said seven people died and five were injured.
Officials said the number of casualties could increase as some vehicles remain fully buried under snow.
Operations Underway From Both Sides
Atri said rescue operations are being carried out from both the Sonamarg side in Kashmir and the Drass side in Ladakh.
'A large stretch of the highway has been affected and when we reached the site we saw some 12-15 vehciles under the snow. We couldn't go to the back side of the avalanche,' he said.
He added that the administration coordinated with Beacon and the Army to initiate rescue efforts from both ends.
Over 100 Personnel Deployed Amid Challenges
More than 100 personnel are involved in the operation, along with snow clearance machines, ambulances, and teams from multiple agencies.
'More than 100 people will be involved in the rescue operation besides the snow clearance machines. There is police, SDRF, BRO, army ambulances and we have also taken help from personnel of Megha tunnel. The rescue operation from the Kashmir side was hindered owing to the traffic jam as there was an up-convoy from that side,' he said.
Rescue Continues For Hours
Atri said the rescue operation had been ongoing for five hours since 1 pm and was expected to continue for another three to four hours.
Author : Sagarika Chakraborty