Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 6: The rescuers working in subzero temperatures and in neck deep snow today recovered 10 bodies from 500 meters deep gorge near Sadna Top, a day after they were swept by avalanches while a man was pulled out of snow after remaining buried for 12 hours in the frontier district of Kupwara.
Senior Superintendent of Police Kupwara, Shamsher Hussain, told Excelsior that a man identified as Ghulam Nabi Bhat son of Ali Mohammad Bhat of Kalmoona, Taratpora was located by the rescuers of Army and Police with the help of locals of Ranward village early today at around 3 a.m. He said that he was half buried in snow and was immediately shifted to nearby hospital for treatment. He was later taken to Srinagar and admitted to SKIMS.
The SSP, who was overseeing the operation from the spot since last evening, said that apparently he had no external injuries but was in deep shock and was suffering from hypothermia since he was buried in snow for 12 hours.
Hussain said that an SDRF team from Srinagar joined the Army, police and locals of Ranward village to pull the bodies out of avalanche. He said that majority of the bodies were buried under snow and it was difficult to locate them. He said that the sniffer dogs of Army and metal detectors failed to locate the bodies and they used shovels and iron rods to locate the bodies and pull them out.
The most difficult part of the operation was to carry the body up to Sadna Top as they were found in a 500 meters deep gorge. The rescuers used ropes to climb around 70-80 degree steep hill and in neck deep snow.
The dead were identified as Altaf Ahmad Check son of Mohammad Samander Check of Nopora Tanghdar, Shakeela Begam wife of Abdul Rehman Parray resident of Suliman Tanghdar, Master Abdul Rashid Joo son of Abdul Majeed Joo of Dildar Tanghdar, Fareed Hussain Shah son of Momim Ali Shah resident of Chamkote Tanghdar, Shapan Nissa wife of Fareed Hussain Shah resident of Chamkote Tanghdar, Fazil Hussain Shah son of Sarwar Shah resident of Chamkote Tanghdar, Shafqat Begum wife of Maqbool Hussain Shah of Gunde Sajdan Tanghdar, Ghulam Hussain Shah son of Mir Ahmad Shah resident of Chamkote Tanghdar, Nadia Bano daughter of Bashir Ahmad Khawaja resident of Gunde Gujran Tanghdar and one year old child Amina Maqbool daughter of Maqbool Hussain Shah of Gunde Seydan.
The bodies were immediately taken to Tanghdar and were buried at their native places amid sob and tears by the locals and relatives. This is one of the worst tragedies in Tanghdar since 2005 earthquake.
It may be mentioned here that several avalanches hit Kupwara-Tanghdar road near Shaitan Nallah in Sadna Top area yesterday afternoon sweeping away a Taxi, a Border Roads Organization (BRO) vehicle and two persons who were walking on the road.
However, the driver of the sumo bearing registration Number JK09A- 3249, Zahoor Ahmad Khan son of Maqsood Ahmad Khan of Chetarkote Karnah, was not inside the vehicle when it was swept away by avalanche.
A beacon officer of 109, RCC, identified as M P Singh, a resident of Varansi district of Uttar Pradesh was killed after he was swept away by another avalanche at Sadna Top yesterday. The officer was on the road clearance duty, when the avalanche struck.
The 75-Kms long only surface link connecting border town Karnah with Kupwara usually remains closed for at least three months during winters due to heavy snowfall. However, this winter season, the road is through for traffic after a few days of closure in mid-December following snowfall.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has expressed grief and sorrow over the burying alive of 10 persons in a snow avalanche at Sadna Top in Kupwara district.
The Chief Minister has conveyed her sympathies with the bereaved families and prayed for solace to the departed souls.
She has directed Kupwara district administration to ensure all possible medical assistance to the injured in the accident.
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