Srinagar, Jan 6 (IANS): Nine persons were killed and two, including an eight-year-old, were rescued after the vehicle in which they were travelling was caught in an avalanche in a north Kashmir border area, police said on Saturday.
The avalanche occurred on Friday evening at 3,000-metre Sadhna Pass of Tangdhar region in Kupwara district on Friday evening.
"Nine dead bodies have been recovered by rescue teams. The deadinc lude an engineer of the BRO (Border Roads Organisation) and eight locals," a police officer said. The BRO engineer was identified as Mangla Prasad Singh.
Rescue teams rescued the child and a 50--old man from the avalanche debris on Friday evening.
Sadhna Pass, which mostly remains closed for six months in winters, connects Kupwara with border town of Karnah
Rescue operations at the mountanious pass overlooking zigzag, treacherous roads are extremely difficult due to sub zero temperatures.