Seven Killed, Five Injured in Snowfall Incident at Zojila Pass; Rescue Operation Underway

Sri Nagar: Seven people were killed and five were injured in a heavy snowfall at Zojila Pass, which connects Jammu and Kashmir to Ladakh. The accident occurred near Zero Point, on the national highway in Srinagar.

The death toll increased as vehicles became trapped in the snow, which fell heavily on them. The incident involved vehicles traveling from Srinagar to Kargil. Authorities stated that the snowfall occurred in the Ladakh area.

Following the incident, the Srinagar-Leh route was completely closed. A major rescue operation was immediately launched, involving the Board of Organisations, police, the Disaster Relief Force, and the army. Search efforts have been intensified to determine if more people are trapped under the snow.

The injured were transferred to hospitals in Drass and Kargil, with some in serious condition. The government has directed the Kargil DC and SSP to personally oversee the rescue operation.

Zojila Pass, located at an altitude of 11,500 feet above sea level, is prone to heavy snowfall during the winter months. To mitigate this, the construction of the 14.2-kilometer Zojila Tunnel is currently underway.