At least five people were killed and several others injured after a massive avalanche hit the Srinagar-Leh highway in Zhuji La in Ladakh, burying a number of vehicles and closing the strategic highway.
The administration launched a major rescue operation involving police, army, Border Roads Organisation, SDRF and Sonamarg and Drass district administrations after at least 15 vehicles were partially or completely buried under snow following a massive avalanche in the afternoon. Men and machines are working to clear the road and see if there are any people trapped in the avalanche.
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The avalanche hit vehicles on the highway in the afternoon at the Captain-Tern area of Zojila Pass in Drass, police said.
Drass Sub-District Magistrate Vishal Atre said five people were confirmed dead in the tragic accident. Among the dead were three men, a woman and a child. However, in a post on X, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said seven people died and five were injured.
Officials said the death toll was expected to rise because some vehicles were completely buried under the snow.
Atri said that the rescue operation is continuing from both sides of the highway – the Sonamarg side in Kashmir and the Drass side in Ladakh.
“A large portion of the highway was affected and when we reached the site we saw about 12 to 15 vehicles under the snow. We were unable to go to the back side of the avalanche,” he said.
He said the administration then contacted Bacon and the army to begin the rescue operation from both sides.
“More than 100 people will be involved in the rescue operation along with snow removal machines. There are police, SDRF, BRO, army ambulances and we have also sought help from Megha Tunnel personnel. The rescue operation from Kashmir side was disrupted due to traffic congestion as there was a convoy coming up from that side,” he said.
He said the rescue operation continued for five hours from 1 p.m. and is expected to continue for another three to four hours.
In a post on the website
