(Updated)
Avalanche damaged around 25 army vehicles and 17 barracks
Srinagar, February 23 (Scoop News) – Nine army Jawans killed and 15 other army jawans of Camp of 109 Infantry Brigade are missing. at Gurez Bandipora in North Kashmir.
Police said that during the intervening night of 22/23rd Febuary,2012, an army camp of 109 Infantry Brigade at Gurez Bandipora came under a heavy snow avalanche. As per the initial reports, at least 15 jawans of Camp are missing. During rescue operation, four jawans were retrieved alive while nine dead bodies have been recovered so far. Further details are awaited.
According to offical spokesman the avalanche damaged around 25 army vehicles and 17 barracks, inside the Brigade workshop. Rescue operations were launched jointly by the Army, Police and Civil authorities and eleven dead bodies and five injured had been recovered till the reports last came in. The injured have been admitted at SDH Dawar. There is however, no civilian casualty, reported. In addition to the efforts of the Army, the civil administration deployed one Snow clearance machine of Mechanical Engineering Department and also requisitioned machinery from HCC, in order to supplement the rescue efforts. Sub Divisional Magistrate, Gurez and his team are personally associated with Army in rescue operations. However, heavy snow is causing hindrance in the rescue operations.
Meanwhile, two employees of Sonamarg Development Authority are also reported missing. A rescue operation was launched immediately, by police patrol and civil authorities to trace the missing persons.
An IAF Chopper that was requisitioned by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon for carrying out air rescue works could not reach Sonamarg due to inclement weather.
Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal and SSP Ganderbal are presently camping at Gund and monitoring the situation.
Meanwhile, army authorities have sent their para-troopers on foot and skies, so that the trapped persons can be rescued. Till reports came in last the rescue operations were in progress.
An appeal has been made to people living in avalanche prone areas not to venture out, especially during snowfall.
A medium danger avalanche warning had been issued by Divisional Disaster Management Authority, yesterday for snowbound areas of Keran, Machil, Chowkibal, Tangdhar, Gurez and Sonamarg. Today, the Medium Danger Avalanche warning has again been extended for next 24 hours, for higher reaches of Gulmarg, Naugam, Kaiyan, Keran, Chowkibal, Tangdhar, Gurez and Sonamarg areas. People staying in these snow bound area above 8000 feet have been advised not to venture in steep avalanche prone slopes.
In a similar incident, at least 3 to 4 abandoned residential houses, one School building, were damaged when they came under a heavy snow avalanche last night. A nearby army camp also came in the Avalanche, and as per the initial reports, three Army jawans are missing. Further details are awaited.
11 Koths damages in snow Avalanche
Eleven abandoned Kothas (Huts of Gujjar & Bakerwals) came under heavy snow slide in the forest area of Ramwari, Ganderbal, falling under the jurisdiction of police station Gund. No one was injured in the incident.
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