11 killed in avalanches, house collapse in J-K

Six more Gujjar families comprising 24 persons were shifted from Meerasi Nallah area of Qazigund to safer places, the spokesman said.

Two persons, Qasim Khatana and Mohammad Iqbal Barkat, were rescued from Muspora village and shifted to safety.

In another rescue operation, police along with Army rescued 10 members of two families from Kellar area of Shopian. Two more families, consisting of five members each, were rescued from Shopian.

The families were shifted to the houses of village heads of Moshwara, the spokesman said, adding one more family of Yousuf Ganie from Dublipora Wachi was rescued and shifted to another house in the village.

Quoting preliminary reports, the officials said more than 150 residential and other structures have been damaged due to the snowfall.

Kupwara district in north Kashmir has been the worst-hit and the damage could be of higher magnitude than reported so far, the officials said.

Heavy snowfall across Kashmir has paralysed normal life in the Valley, snapping its links with the outside world and hitting power and water supply.

Authorities had issued a high danger avalanche warning for higher reaches of the Valley and asked people not to venture on steep slopes till this evening.