New Delhi (dpa) – At least 11 Indian soldiers were killed and another eight were trapped after two avalanches hit India-administered Kashmir, news reports said Thursday. Eight soldiers were killed when an avalanche hit a workshop of the army brigade headquarters in the northern town of Gurez, on the border with Pakistan, broadcaster NDTV reported citing army sources. Three territorial army soldiers were killed by another avalanche in the Ganderbal district, the report said. Both areas are situated in northern part of the state. Operations were under way to rescue eight more soldiers trapped under the avalanche in Gurez, but authorities feared the death toll could rise as heavy snowfall was hampering their efforts. Fourteen soldiers had been rescued so far in Gurez, the news channel reported. Both incidents happened in the night from Wednesday to Thursday. Avalanches are common in the state due to heavy snowfall in the upper reaches of Kashmir during winter. Last month, eight soldiers were killed after an avalanche hit the Kupwara district, also situated in the northern region. A large number of Indian soldiers are deployed along the Line of Control, the de facto border between the Indian and Pakistani parts of the disputed territory of Kashmir. Weather officials have predicted more rai and snow in the region over the next few days. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/oQWxa Tags: Avalanche, India, Kashmir, Soldiers Section: Latest News, South Asia
