Ten trapped by avalanche in Indian Kashmir

Two days of heavy snowfall have blocked roads and cut electricity supplies to many areas of Kashmir (DM).  

SRINAGAR AFP Feb8, 2019 - Rescuers battled Friday to reach the site of an avalanche that buried 10 people in Indian-administered Kashmir following two days of heavy snowfall across the region, police said.   

The avalanche hit a fire emergency facility late Thursday in the Banihal area of the Kashmir valley. Six police, two prisoners and two other personnel had taken refuge there during a storm.   

 “We have not been able to rescue anyone so far because of the bad weather and the heavy accumulation of snow,” Kashmir inspector general of police Swayam Prakash Pani told AFP.   

Another man died on Thursday when his home was buried under an avalanche in the southern Kukarnag area.   

Authorities have also started rationing petrol and diesel as supplies in the Kashmir valley are running low. Bad weather has disrupted essential supplies for two weeks.