Avalanche traps army patrol of seven in Arunachal Pradesh, rescue ops underway

Seven Indian Army personnel, part of a patrol, are reported to have been trapped in an avalanche in the high altitude area of Kameng Sector in Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Army said on Monday.

Search and rescue operations are currently underway. Specialised teams have been airlifted to assist in rescue operations, the force said. The personnel have been stuck there since February 6.

The area has been witnessing inclement weather with heavy snowfall since the last few days, the force said. Arunachal Pradesh is generally divided into Kameng area on the west and Rest of Arunachal Pradesh. Indian Army Eastern Command handles the 1,346 kilometers long Line of Actual Control (LAC), including Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

This command has three corps — 33 Corps (Sikkim), four Corps (Kameng Sector) and three Corps (Rest of Arunachal Pradesh) to handle the LAC. In the region, India`s Border Roads Organisation has been focusing on the area for road construction after a push from the government.