Snow avalanches hit Kupwara; 1 dead, 6 missing

Kupwara, Jan 05: A Beacon officer died while six others are missing in two separate avalanches that struck Sadhna Top in Tanghdar sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Friday.
In a first avalanche, two beacon officials came under a snow avalanche adjacent to Sadhna top. While one of them was injured, a sector commander of beacon was swept away and is missing, official sources said.
Sources identify the beacon officer as MP Singh of 109 RCC.
Meanwhile, in another rescue operation, a 7-year-old boy was rescued among seven persons who went missing after a sumo (JK09A- 3249) came under an avalanche at Khoni Nallah near Sadhna Top.
The driver Zahoor Ahmad Khan son of Maqsood Ahmad Khan of Chetarkote Karnah jumped in the nick of time while as vehicle was swept away and six persons are missing.
Among them, a 7-year-old has been found alive while rescue operation to find others was still under away, official sources said.
Sources said that there are no traces of vehicle so far even as administration has launched search operation to find out the missing.
Earlier, SSP Kupwara Shamsheer Hussain confirmed the incidents and said that they a rescue team was at the job to find out the missing.
“We are trying our level best to rescue the missing even as fresh snowfall has started in the area which is hampering the operation.”