Massive avalanche hits Sonmarg; Kashmir districts on alert

A massive avalanche hit Kashmir’s popular tourist destination Sonmarg on Saturday evening, the second such incident in two days.

The Jammu and Kashmir disaster management authority has also warned residents and travellers in the union territory of more avalanches in the next 24 hours.

A video was doing rounds on social media showing fresh masses of snow rolling down towards Sarbal village in Sonmarg this evening.

There were no reports of injuries, however, a shed was damaged in the village. Police said employees of Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited (MEIL), working for a tunnel in the area, were shifted to safer locations.

On Thursday, two labourers from Kishtwar died when an avalanche hit a construction site in Sonmarg.

Avalanche warning for next 24 hours

The disaster relief body has issued a warning for a “high danger” level avalanche likely to occur above 2,000 metres of Bandipora and Kupwara districts Kupwara district in the next 24 hours.

The J&K DMA also warned that a medium danger level avalanche is likely to occur for 2,000 metres over Bandipora, Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban and Reasi districts in the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, a low-risk avalanche may occur 2,000 metres above Anantnag, Kulgam, and Rajouri districts till tomorrow.

People living in these areas are advised to take precautions and avoid venturing in the avalanche prone areas.

A cold wave warning was already in place as the higher reaches of Kashmir have been receiving moderate to heavy snowfall for the past 48 hours. The snowfall started in the plains of the Valley around Friday morning.