4 dead, many trapped in Ladakh avalanche

Warning of inclement weather issued in Kashmir and Ladakh.

SRINAGAR: Four persons were killed while several others went missing after their vehicle came under the impact of an avalanche at Khardung La Pass of Ladakh, police said on Friday. Meanwhile, the state weather department has issued a fresh warning of inclement weather in Kashmir and Ladakh regions for one more week starting from Friday.

Both the regions have witnessed a number of heavy snowfalls so far in this month and this has already left life paralysed in both the regions.

In most of the rural areas, there is no electricity and the sub-zero temperatures have blasted the water connections, leading to high intensity shortage of portable water and essential commodities due to intermittent closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway.

A spokesman of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) told the media that the avalanche hit a vehicle carrying about 10 persons and they could retrieve four bodies, while other persons were still missing. He said that most of the missing persons were trapped under snow and they were trying to rescue them.

Meanwhile, weather officials say that a western disturbance (WD) is going to hit the region very soon and they are expecting snow and rains for about a week in the entire Kashmir and Ladakh regions.

Following the weather warning, Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan told this newspaper that he had kept the administration ready to meet any eventuality because of heavy rains and snow.

“We have issued weather advisory and have asked all the Deputy Commissioners in both the regions to remain vigilant and press all the men and machinery for any kind of situation which may arise because of heavy rains and snow,” Khan told this newspaper.

According to the advisory, rains and snow in the coming one week may lead to disruption of the Srinagar-Jammu highway and will also impact air traffic from the Srinagar airport.