J&K: Ten soldiers killed, several missing as two avalanches hit Gurez Sector, says Army

Army said rescue operations were launched and seven soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer were saved.

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An Army official said the exact number of missing soldiers was not yet known as heavy snowfall was hampering ongoing operations. (Representational photo)

Ten soldiers were killed as two avalanches hit Gurez Sector of Kashmir, an army official said on Thursday. An avalanche hit an army camp in Gurez sector of Bandipora district near the Line of Control last evening in which several soldiers were trapped, the army official said. He said rescue operations were launched and seven soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer were saved. “Bodies of three soldiers were retrieved his morning,” he said. The official said another avalanche hit a patrol party which was on its way to a post in Gurez sector last evening.

WATCH VIDEO | Atleast 10 Soldiers Dead As Avalanches Hit Jammu & Kashmir’s Gurez Sector

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed sadness at the death of soldiers. He tweeted, “Deeply saddened at the death of our jawans in an avalanche in Kashmir.”

Deeply saddened at the death of our Veer jawans in an avalanche in Kashmir. Have directed the authorities for speedy search and rescue ops.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2017

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also extended his condolences to families of soldiers who lost their lives. “My heartfelt condolences to Armymen who’ve lost their lives in avalanches in J&K in the past two days,” said Parrikar. Rescue teams have so far retrieved seven bodies from the”spot of the incident,” the official said. Yesterday, an officer was killed an avalanche at Sonamarg in central Kashmir Ganderbal district while four members of a family died in another avalanche in Gurez sector yesterday.

Authorities have issued a high danger avalanche warning in hilly parts of snow-bound Kashmir valley in view of fresh snowfall which has been going on intermittently for past three days.

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