Avalanches kill 11 in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Eleven people including a one-year-old child were killed after avalanches hit them in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Saturday.
The avalanches was triggered Friday evening following fresh snowfall in upper reaches near remote Sadhna pass in frontier Kupwara district, about 130 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
The avalanches buried two vehicles and few bystanders.
Two people including a 11-year-old boy were immediately rescued from the snow mounds and were hospitalised.
Rescuers on Saturday retrieved 10 bodies who were missing after avalanches struck them.
"Today we have recovered 10 bodies from the snow bound area and with it we called off the operation," an official at police control room in Srinagar told Xinhua.
On Friday evening an official associated with India's Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was also killed.
"The two beacon officials came under a snow avalanche when they were standing near their vehicle. They were rescued and one of them, a junior engineer was declared brought dead at the army unit hospital in Chowkibal," a police official said.
Indian-controlled Kashmir has a rugged terrain. Landslides and avalanches are often triggered from its mountains during frequent rains and heavy snowfall the region receives.