Two Polish nationals killed in massive snow avalanche in Gulmarg

Fresh landslides hit Jammu-Srinagar highway; closed for third consecutive day

02/02/2023

SRINAGAR, Feb 1: A massive avalanche hit the upper reaches of ski resort Gulmarg on Wednesday, killing two Polish tourists and trapping 21 skiers who were rescued from the slopes that had been declared a "no go zone", police said.
The Hapatkhud Kangdori area where the accident took place had been declared off limits due the possibility of an avalanche following heavy snowfall two days ago, the sources said.
At 12.30 pm, those fears came true when the gigantic wall of snow rolled down, trapping the group of mostly Polish and Russian tourists and two local guides. "Three teams of 21 foreign nationals and two local guides went to Affarwat for skiing this morning. A snow avalanche struck Hapatkhud Kangdori around 12.30 pm," Bara-mulla Senior Superintendent of Police Amod Nagpure said.
Asked if there was an avalanche warning for the area where the accident took place, Nagpure said an investigation has been ordered.
Two skiers died while the other 21 who were on the slopes when the avalanche struck were rescued, he said.
Those who died were identified as Krzysltof (43) and Adam Grzech (45).
Their bodies have been recovered and moved to hospital for medico-legal procedures while the rescued tourists and locals are being given medical attention, he said.
Several people saw the tragedy unfold.
"We saw the dance of death before our eyes. A 20 feet wall of ice fell on the skiers and they got buried under it. It's all about nature's fury," All India Congress Committee member Deepak Chinchore from Karnataka, who happened to be at the spot, told PTI.
Officials said the cable car which ferries tourists up the 14,000 ft Afarwat mountain was used for the rescue operations.
Videos of the avalanche, showing people running for their lives, circulated widely on social media.
The Russians rescued today were identified as Ekaterina, Maxim, Vladimir, Vasiliy, Engine, Leo, Nikita Mastryukov and Anna Chornyak, police said.
The Polish nationals were Rafat Kaqmaren, Narcin Wieklux, Eukasz Potaczewck, Tukasz Pasek, Katarzyna Filip, Marcin Raczyk, Barteomie Szkop, Bartosz Domagata, Adrian Anirowsu and Macie Kowalczyk.
Besides, three guides, Bartos from Poland and two locals, Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, were also rescued.
Snow avalanches are frequent in higher reaches of Kashmir during January and February, especially after fresh snowfall.
Kashmir witnessed heavy snowfall on January 29 and 30.
The last big avalanche in Gulmarg was on February 8, 2010 when 17 soldiers in an Army camp were killed.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed for traffic for the third consecutive day on Wednesday following fresh landslides in Ramban district, leaving more than 800 vehicles stranded on the road.
The 270 kilometre-long highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was blocked by mudslides and shooting stones between Chanderkote and Banihal in the district on Monday.
"There was a major landslide on the highway at Rampari area in Banihal tehsil Wednesday morning. Besides, another landslide took place in Wagon," an official said.
Men and machines have been deployed to clear the highway, officials said, adding that it will take several hours to clear the area.
Meanwhile, traffic officials have issued an advisory asking people not to travel on the highway.
According to them, more than 800 vehicles are stranded at different points of the highway.
The Mughal road, which connects Shopian district of Kashmir with Poonch district of Jammu, was also blocked for traffic due to heavy snowfall, they said.
Several inter-district roads are closed due to heavy snowfall in the mountainous districts of Jammu region, the officials added.

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