Seven army personnel buried alive in avalanche

Seven army personnel were buried alive when an avalanche hit a counter-insurgency post in frontier district of Kupwara on Tuesday.

Seven army personnel were buried alive when an avalanche hit a counter-insurgency post in frontier district of Kupwara on Tuesday.

Eight other jawans escaped unhurt in the incident in Karnah sector, about 135 km from here in North Kashmir, a defence spokesman said.

The spokesman said the bodies of the deceased soldiers were recovered by rescue teams, which swung into action immediately after the avalanche struck the post.

The jawans rescued from the post have been evacuated.

Official sources said the avalanche flattened the post manned by personnel of Rashtriya Rifles of the army located nearly five km ahead of Sadna top on Kupwara-Karnah road.

Sadna receives heavy snowfall during winter, forcing closure of the only road linking Tangdhar and Karnah sectors with Kupwara district town in December.

Fresh heavy snowfall in the upper reaches including Sadna top this month delayed the road clearance operation in view of the looming threat of avalanches.

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