The death toll in the avalanches that hit separate areas of Kashmir Valley in the last 48 hours has now risen to 14 with the recovery of four more bodies of jawans today.
According to police, the rescue operation has been call off with the recovery of all 14 bodies.
“Bodies of four missing soldiers recovered from avalanche site in Gurez sector of Kashmir; death toll reaches 14,” police said.
14 jawans had gone missing after two avalanches hit an Army post and a patrol party in Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Wednesday evening.
The first avalanche had hit an Army camp in Gurez sector of Bandipora district near the Line of Control (LoC) whereas the second avalanche hit a patrol party which was on its way to a post in Gurez sector.
Till last evening, bodies of 10 jawans were retrieved, police said, adding that seven soldiers were rescued from the debris of the avalanches.
“The rescued jawans include a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and six soldiers. They were rescued on Wednesday,” police said.
On Wednesday, an officer was killed in an avalanche at Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district while four members of a family died in another avalanche in Gurez sector.
Authorities have issued a high danger avalanche warning in hilly parts of snow-bound Kashmir in view of fresh snowfall which has been going on intermittently for past three days.
