Body of Cop Missing In Kulgam Avalanche Found, Death Toll At 8

The rescue teams, however, successfully managed to save their two children by pulling them out.

A couple died after getting caught under an avalanche in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.

(Photo: The Quint/Basit Zargar)

An avalanche hit the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on 8 February, killing a couple after they were caught under the snow. Rescue teams successfully managed to save their two children.

A snowslide had struck the house of Bashir Ahmad Qureshi at Sonabrari-Magam in Kokernag area of the district on 7 February, Thursday evening, a police official said.

He said all four members of the family were trapped under the snowslide and a rescue operation was launched immediately.

“The rescuers were able to pull out the two children alive from the snow but their parents could not be saved.”

Police Official

He said bodies of Qureshi and his wife were retrieved later.

Comes a Day After Avalanche Kills 8 Cops

Rescuers on Friday intensified efforts to rescue the 10 policemen feared to be trapped inside their post under a snow avalanche which struck near Jawahar Tunnel

While 10 policemen posted at the police post near the tunnel managed to reach safety before the avalanche struck, 10 other policemen were believed to be trapped.

An avalanche hit the north portal of Jawahar Tunnel on the Qazigund side in Kulgam district on Thursday evening.

“Rescue teams have reached close to the site of the avalanche this morning. All efforts are being made to evacuate the trapped persons,” a police official said. 

The body of a policeman, who was missing following an avalanche near Jawahar Tunnel in Kulgam district two days ago, was found on Saturday, taking the death toll in the incident to eight, police said.

This incident comes a day after an avalanche hit a police post in Kulgam district, killing seven policemen.

The seven bodies were recovered on Friday, near the Jawahar Tunnel on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, news agency ANI reported.

Earlier in the day, two policemen were rescued and are said to be in stable condition. One policeman is still missing.

Strong winds and accumulation of snow on the path made it difficult for the J&K police team to reach the site of the avalanche for rescue operations.

The avalanche hit the north portal of Jawahar Tunnel on the Qazigund side, a police official was quoted as saying by PTI.

Kashmir Valley has been witnessing heavy snowfall since Wednesday, 6 February, with Kulgam district in south Kashmir receiving maximum precipitation in the last 24 hours. Some places in the district have received as much as five feet snow, officials said.

The Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment has issued an avalanche warning of varying degrees to 16 of 22 districts in Jammu and Kashmir for the next 24 hours.

High danger avalanche warning has been issued for Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kulgam, and Kupwara districts in the valley, while medium danger warning was issued to Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, and Leh districts.

A low danger warning was issued for Kargil district.

(With inputs from PTI and NDTV)