4 Soldiers Killed As Avalanches Hit Jammu And Kashmir

Four soldiers were killed in north Kashmir’s Tanghdar and Gurez sectors when two avalanches hit the army camps set up near the forward posts. Six soldiers and two porters were killed in two different avalanche incidents in the northern and southern parts of Siachen glacier last month. The back-to-back incidents were triggered by heavy snowfall in the region. An avalanche and blizzard struck the army camp and a patrol in Tanghdar and Gurez sectors on the LoC, which left three soldiers dead in Tanghdar and one in Gurez, the Army said on Tuesday. One soldier was rescued in Tanghdar.

“In two separate incidents, an avalanche hit the army post in Tanghdar sector and an army patrol was hit by a blizzard in the Gurez sector on December 3. Rescue teams managed to locate and retrieve all personnel from both the spots. Despite best efforts by rescue and medical teams, three army personnel in Tanghdar and one in Gurez succumbed,’’ said Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia.