20 dead, 25 houses damaged; 3 yr old girl among 50 rescued
By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu/Srinagar: At least twenty persons, including six members of a family, were killed and more than twenty-five houses were damaged, while army and police rescued about fifty persons as killer avalanches strike at three different places across Jammu and Kashmir, which is witnessing heavy snowfall, from last four days, on Friday.
Army and police claimed to have rescued around fourty-five people trapped under an avalanche in Qazigund area of South Kashmir, where one of the victim lost his life, while two others were injured. Similarly six persons of a family were killed when they were buried alive under an avalanche in Ramsoo area of Ramban district.
Giving details official sources told News Agency of Kashmir that an avalanche hit Batroo village of Ramsoo in Jammu’s Ramban district burring a residential house of Chain Singh.
Some locals of the area informed Ramsoo police about the incident, which deputed a team for rescue. However, sources said, rescue team failed to save the lives of the inhabitants as bodies of about eight family members, including three children, were dugged out of the house debris, later in the day.
However, police said that a three year old girl child survived the killer avalanche. She was dugged out in unconscious condition but her condition improved in the hospital, sources added.
The deceased were later identified Rani Devi w/o Bhagat Singh, Sanjeev Singh son of Lochan Singh, Suneela Devi wife of Sanjeev Singh, Leela Devi wife of chain Singh her four children Surjeet Singh, Neetu (6 yrs) and Pooja (1 yr).
Similarly, six persons of a family were killed and around fifteen others were rescued by locals and army in Khah Dar village of Kapran Verinag area of Jammu Kashmir’s Anantnag district, this afternoon.
Informed sources told News Agency of Kashmir that three houses were collapsed and around 12 persons were buried alive under a snow avalanche.
It was reliably learnt that at least three houses belonging to two brothers, Ghulam Hassan Tantray and Bashir Ahmad Tantray, who are presently at Jammu were buried under the avalanche.
In absence of transport and clear road police and civil administration could not reached the spot. However, troops of 49 RR (Ekita Company) deployed in the area immediately rushed to the spot and started rescue operation, sources told NAK.
“We have recovered six bodies and rescued other persons of these families” an army officer of 49 RR told NAK, over phone, adding that the rescued persons were being shifted to safer place.
Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, when contacted, told NAK that a team of civil and police officers was dispatched to the village.
The deceased have been identified as Naseema wife of Gh Hassan, Shameema Gh Hassan, Seerrat Jan, Rubby Jan all daughters Gh Hassan and his two sons Javid and Ajaz., while his another son was rescued from the debris of the house.
The family members of another brother Bashir Ahmad were safely rescued from the house.
At least thirty two persons were rescued, while one died, in a separate incident of avalanche in South Kashmir Qazigund area. News Agency of Kashmir was first to report about the incident and even the civil and police authorities came to know about the incident from the news agency.
Informed sources told News Agency of Kashmir that one person was killed and 45 others were trapped in an avalanche at Gulab Bagh Gujjar Basti near Tool post on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, this morning.
According to SP Swayam Prakash Pani, police received information that a residential structure had collapsed at Gulab Bagh in Qazigund, which had received more that 11 feet’s of snow during last three days.
He said that the area also fell in the avalanche prone zone and with avalanche warning sounded, people needed to be evacuated to safer places immediately. In this regard, a rescue team headed by SHO Qazigund, Sub –Inspector Reyaz Ahmed was immediately dispatched to the area, he added.
He stated that putting their own lives at risk, the Police party reached the area where a residential structure had collapsed in which one Mohammed Shafi Chechi s/o Haji Makhna was killed and two others identified as Mohammed Yaqoob S/O Haji Makhna and his daughter Razia Chechi were injured with fractures in both the legs.
The SP further added that 32 more villagers who were in extreme danger were also rescued by the police and shifted to safer places where they are being provided adequate food, shelter and other amenities.
However, News Agency of Kashmir was informed by one of the victim Yaqoob Gujjar, whose Doka also buried under avalanche, over phone that about eight families were buried under the avalanche triggered due to heavy snowfall in the area.
It is pertinent to mention here, that the district administration and police including the troops of 49 RR were also informed by NAK about the incident, which led to the launch of a rescue operation.
An official spokesman told News Agency of Kashmir that Srinagar an avalanche hit a residential house of Abdul Ahad Baba at Nayal near Tanchi Gurez killing his wife, Sitra Begum, on the spot.
The spokesman said that two more persons were feared dead in a separate incident of avalanche in the same area. However, their identification could not be ascertained immediately.
Two persons were killed and around six houses were damaged in two separate incidents of snow avalanches in mountainous Doda district.
A woman, identified as Aruna Devi wife of Chaman Lal, was killed in Seote area of Doda, while Muhammad Iqbal was killed in Chinote area of the same districts, reports reaching here revealed.