KATHMANDU, Nepal–At least three Nepali workers were killed in an avalanche triggered by heavy snowfall in Indian administered Kashmir between Monday and Wednesday, according to Indian news agencies.
They died in the remote area of Kaksar, but police have not been able to reach the site as the territory is difficult, Indian newspaper, The Hindu reported. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu is yet to confirm the death of Nepali workers.
It is reported that they died when their stone quarrying site fell in near Kargil following heavy snowfall.
The paper further reported that, unusual avalanches in Jammu and Kashmir over the past couple of days have already claimed 16 lives injuring two and half dozen people.
“Snowfall subsided on Wednesday and major roads in the Valley were cleared by late afternoon though interior roads all over the valley were still not motorable,” The Hindu’s reported in its Thursday’s edition.
According to AFP reports security personnel have begun rescuing people from other avalanche-prone areas and an unknown number of people have been hospitalized.
“We have rescued 50 people so far. Many areas have become inaccessible and communication lines are down,” the agency further quoted Superintendent Imtiyaz Hussain as saying.