Indian Army Rescues Stranded Tourists Near Zoji La Pass After Several Avalanches Hit Area

The Indian Army Rescue and Medical Team on Monday evacuated some stranded tourists along Zuji La Pass after minor snowslides and avalanches occurred in many areas. National Highway 1, which connects Jammu and Kashmir to Beldakh, remains closed due to multiple minor landslides in the past few days.

Along with the Indian Army, teams from the General Reserve Engineers Force (GREF) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police have also pressed into action.

Earlier in the day, two vehicles slid off the road and slid after being hit by an avalanche in Doubles La Pass. The incident occurred near Panimatha Captain Mode at Zojil Pass. Rescue teams immediately reached the spot to help the stranded tourists.

In another incident, a vehicle got stuck in the snow and was unable to move. In the video released by the news agency ANI, military personnel can be seen clearing snow to move the vehicle from the avalanche-stricken area.

Specially trained Indian Army Avalanche Rescue Team along with medical teams are involved in evacuating stranded tourists. According to a statement by the army, teams equipped with emergency medical supplies and all necessary stores for early rescue are carrying out the necessary relief work.

Earlier in the day, officials of the Meteorological Department said that off-season snowfall in parts of Kashmir has restored winter-like conditions in the valley while several incidents of tourists and nomads due to bad weather were also reported.

Officials said the valley’s Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Qazigund districts experienced early morning snowfall, making the roads slippery.

The weatherman predicted an improvement in weather conditions over the next 24 hours but warned of the possibility of a cloudy explosion or lightning on Tuesday evening.

While the tourists were enjoying a pleasant surprise due to the snowfall, the inclement weather caused hardships for the locals.

The officials said that the police rescued a group of eight tourists, including women and children, near the Cevahir Tunnel in Qazigend after their car got stuck in the snowfall in the early hours of the day.

Rainfall over the past 24 hours in most parts of the valley, and snowfall in some areas have caused the mercury to drop, and people have had to take off their winter clothes again.

(with input from PTI)

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