Second avalanche in Kashmir kills 18th soldier - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Another army soldier was killed in a second avalanche on Tuesday, even as 13 out of the 14 already trapped, were rescued from an Army forward post in Jammu and Kashmir Tangdhar District. On Monday, at least 17 soldiers had lost their lives. Around 400 people mostly Armymen and porters were rescued. The avalanche took place at 11 a.m. on Monday. The Army's High Altitude Warfare School at Gulmarg had established an advance camp at Gujjar Hut on Sunday, and 300 Army trainees, 100 trainers, 60 support staff and 50 civilians were present when the avalanche came down. Army and police rescue teams reached the location and made all efforts possible to rescue all those trapped. Snow Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) had issued an avalanche warning last evening and asked the people living in high altitude areas not to venture in the area, which has been receiving heavy snowfall for the past three days. High danger prone areas include Sonamarg, Gagangir, Bhimbat, Drass, Batalic, Dhudi and S M Hills in Kargil district. The areas where low danger avalanche warning has been issued include both sides of the Jawahar Tunnel and the adjoining areas on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.