Avalanche in IIOJK leaves one Russian skier dead; six rescued

The avalanche swept through the peaks near Gulmarg tourist spot where a warning had been issued after heavy snow

SRINAGAR:

One Russian skier was killed and six others rescued after being trapped in the snow following an avalanche near a Himalayan ski resort in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)  on Thursday, an official in Kashmir's Gulmarg town said.

The avalanche swept through the peaks near Gulmarg, which is popular with tourists and where disaster management authorities had issued an avalanche warning on Wednesday after heavy snowfall earlier in the week.

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Wasim Raja, chief of the Gulmarg Development Authority, said the rescued skiers and their guide were receiving treatment for minor injuries.

Deadly avalanches in the Indian Himalayas have killed more than 120 people since 2021. Two Polish skiers died and 19 were rescued after an avalanche in the peaks around Gulmarg in February last year.