Nature wreaked havoc on Zojila-Gumri road in Kargil district of Ladakh on Friday afternoon. A massive avalanche between Zero Point and Minimarg claimed many lives. Seven people died in the accident. At least five people have been seriously injured. It is feared that 7 to 8 vehicles are buried under the huge debris of snow.
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Rescue operation underway to rescue vehicles trapped in landslide – Photo: Amar Ujala
large chunk of snow fell from the mountain
The avalanche affected area falls on the Leh-Srinagar National Highway. The vehicles were passing through Zojila Pass at around 3 pm on Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, a landslide occurred on the hill and a large portion of snow quickly fell on the road. In the blink of an eye the vehicles were buried under snow. As soon as the information was received, teams of Army, Border Roads Organization (BRO), Ladakh Police and District Administration reached with machines for rescue and relief work.
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Rescue operation underway to rescue vehicles trapped in landslide – Photo: ANI
snow being removed
Despite bad weather and challenging geographical conditions, Army and BRO personnel were busy clearing snow and rescuing stranded people till late night with the help of local volunteers. Members of the Basij Imam Khamenei Memorial Trust (IKMT) and 108 ambulances were deployed to immediately evacuate the injured.
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Rescue operation underway to rescue vehicles trapped in landslide – Photo: ANI
Confirmation of seven killed
Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh has confirmed the death of seven people due to being buried in the landslide. In a post on his X handle, he said that five people were injured in the accident. A senior police officer has also confirmed this. All the injured have been admitted to Sub-District Hospital Dras. The condition of four is said to be critical. Most of the injured and dead are from Leh district.
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People trapped in landslide – Photo: Social media
vehicles completely buried in snow
The pictures and videos of the avalanche that have gone viral on social media show the gruesomeness of the accident. The vehicles are completely buried in snow. Army and BRO soldiers had to work hard to remove snow from the roof of the vehicles. The road where the accident occurred is hilly and inaccessible. At the site of the incident, there is a steep hill on one side and a ditch on the other side. In such a situation, the soldiers have to take every step carefully.