Jammu & Kashmir: Twin avalanches hit Sarbal, no loss of life reported
The tunnel is being constructed by the Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL).
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The Kashmir valley witnessed the season’s second snowfall Thursday and Friday and the upper reaches of the Valley received up to four feet of snow. (Photo: ANI) A day after two workers were killed in an avalanche near the Zojila tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir’s Sonamarg, the area was hit by two more avalanches simultaneously Saturday. However, no loss or injury has been reported in the twin avalanches.
On Saturday evening, two avalanches hit Sarbal close to the Zojila tunnel project. The area houses the shelters for workers engaged in the tunnel project that would provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh.
A video of the twin avalanches shows them hitting the shelters of the workers as some of them can be seen capturing the avalanches on their cell phones.
The tunnel is being constructed by the Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL).
Officials said while a workshop of the construction company was damaged in the twin snow slides, there was no loss of life or injury.
“As reported by the Company Officials, everyone is safe. No loss of life and property is reported as of now,” said a police statement, adding that the “Police and SDRF are monitoring the situation closely. Media groups are advised not to post any unverified news.”
On Friday, two avalanches hit Sonamarg – one at Sarbal near the Zojila tunnel and the other at Hung on the Srinagar-Ladakh Road.
In the Sarbal avalanche, two workers of the tunnel project were killed and their bodies were recovered. Both the workers belonged to the remote Padder region of Kishtwar district in the Jammu region.
On Saturday, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) issued avalanche warnings.
The Authority warned of a “high danger” avalanche in higher reaches of Kupwara and a “medium danger” of avalanches in Bandipore, Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban, and Reasi districts.
A minor avalanche also hit the Tulail area of Gurez in Bandipore Saturday. However, there was no report of loss of life or property in the incident.
The Kashmir valley witnessed the season’s second snowfall Thursday and Friday and the upper reaches of the Valley received up to four feet of snow. The minimum temperatures in the Valley plummeted as low as minus 11 degree Celsius in the tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
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