Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 30: A teenager boy was killed and two others injured after an avalanche struck Macchil area in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district today while after fresh snowfall authorities this evening issued fresh avalanche warning.
Police said that the avalanche hit the Chuntiwari Balla area of Machhil in the frontier district of Kupwara this morning resulting in on spot death of a 15-year-old boy and two others suffered injuries.
The administration in Kashmir this evening issued fresh medium danger avalanche warning for snowbound areas of North Kashmir’s after fresh snowfall today. The fresh warning has been issued in Chowkibal-Tanghdar, Taya, Ragini, Puttakhan, Zunegund, Malai, Pharkiyan, Keran Sector, Bandipora Rajdhan, Gulmarg, Neeru, Burab, Chakwali, Naugaon, Kaiyan, Radha TMG, Padam, Zebra, Patlala, Z-Gali, Macchil, Dhudi, Tsuntwarl, Drass Sector and Kargil Sector.
“In this regard people are advised not to venture in steep avalanche prone slope during next 24 hours from January 30 to January 31, 2016. People are also advised to keep cleaning the snow from roof top of their houses to avoid any casualty due to roof collapse”, the administration said.
A Police official said that after the news about the avalanche in Macchil spread in the area, locals and police rushed to the spot and retrieved the body.
The injured boys were immediately taken to Machhil hospital where from they were referred to Sub-district hospital Kupwara for further treatment.
The incident occurred when the three teenagers, students of a local seminary, were on their way towards Madrassa in the area.
The deceased has been identified as Mehrajudin Khan, 15, son of Bashir Ahmad of Katwara Machhil and the injured have been identified as Javid Ahmad Khan, 14, son of Younis Khan of Khali Balla, Macchil and Abdul Rashid Mir, 14, son of Abdul Rehman of Chuntiwari Balla, Machhil.
A Defence spokesman said here that Army today launched a swift rescue mission in the aftermath of an avalanche in the higher reaches of T Santwari, in Kupwara district and saved precious lives.
“Three teenagers, Mehraj Khan S/o Bashir Khan R/o Katwar Village, Javed Khan S/o Md Yunus R/o Thalli Village and Quaiser Ahmed Mir S/o Abdul Rahman Mir R/o TSuntbala Village were crossing avalanche prone area when the avalanche struck”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that undeterred by the raging blizzard, 15-20 feet of standing snow and avalanche warnings, the Army’s Avalanche Rescue Team was immediately launched for the rescue equipped with Rescue Equipment including Avalanche Victim Detector with the help of which contact with the boys was established quickly.
The team found the boys, buried under 10 feet of snow, in a state of shock and physical exhaustion and administered critical first aid at the site itself.
“The rescue mission was able to successfully evacuate Javed Khan aged 16 yrs and Qaisar Ahmad Mir, 14 yrs. However, the third boy Mehraj Khan, 16 yrs unfortunately succumbed to his grievous injuries”, the spokesman said.
In the meantime, despite snow and rains, Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, was through for traffic with some restrictions.
However, the National Highway, linking the Ladakh region with the Kashmir valley and historic Mughal and Sinthan-Kishtwar roads remained closed since December last year due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.
It was snowing in the upper reaches and raining in the plains today. The day temperature in Srinagar was recorded at 10 degree Celsius while the night temperature was recorded at 1.8 degree Celsius.
A traffic police official said that highway was through and vehicles were plying from both ways though some restrictions have been imposed to avoid any traffic jam or accident.
The traffic police said that the Jammu-Srinagar highway will be open for traffic tomorrow, however, there will be restrictions on the movement.
“All Kashmir bound passenger vehicles from Jammu will be allowed to move only between 0600 hrs to 1300 hrs while heavy vehicles, including those carrying essentials, will be permitted only between 0630 hrs to 1130 hrs. However, the movement of oil tankers shall be allowed upto 1300 hrs, he said adding no Srinagar bound passenger vehicle and oil tanker will be permitted to cross Udhampur after 1430 hrs and no heavy vehicle will be permitted after 1330 hrs. Similarly, Jammu bound light motor vehicles shall be permitted to move towards Jammu from Qazigund only between 0830 hrs to 1600 hrs while heavy vehicles shall be permitted only between 0900 hrs to 1400 hrs”, Traffic Police said.
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