Fresh avalanches in J&K, toll rises to 20

TIL Desk/National/Srinagar/ Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have issued a high danger avalanche warning for the hilly areas of Kashmir valley for the next 24 hours. The warning has been issued for avalanche-prone slopes of Kupwara, Bandipora, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Budgam and Kargil district of Kashmir division.

Locals have also been asked to keep clearing snow deposits from roof tops of their houses and bunkers to avoid any damage. On January 25th, Indian soldiers lost their lives in two separate avalanches in Gurez and Sonmarg.

While an avalanche hit a patrol party which was on its way to a post in Gurez sector on night, the other hit two shelters occupied by two officers and four jawans. Gurez and Sonmarg are the same avalanche-prone sectors where 16 soldiers were killed and four others injured in two snowslide-related incidents in March 2012.