One Dead In Landslide; 235 Evacuated After Heavy Snowfall At Sinthan Top In J&K’s Kishtwar
Rescue teams evacuate 235 stranded in heavy snowfall while landslide near hydro project kills one worker.
One person was killed and another injured in a landslide near a hydro-power project in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, while more than 230 people stranded in heavy snowfall at the high-altitude Sinthan Top were rescued in a large joint operation, officials said on Monday.
The landslide occurred during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday near Dangduru in Kishtwar after heavy rainfall triggered a collapse at a hydro-power project site. Two workers were trapped under the debris when the landslide struck. Rescue teams later recovered one worker’s body, while the other was pulled out alive with injuries and shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In a separate incident, 235 people travelling in 38 vehicles were stranded at Sinthan Top, a high mountain pass connecting Kishtwar in the Jammu region with Anantnag in south Kashmir, after heavy snowfall and severe weather conditions blocked the route. Many of those stranded included women and children.
Also Read: PM Modi, Amit Shah Hail J&K’s Historic First Ranji Trophy Victory
A joint rescue operation involving the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the civil administration was launched to evacuate the stranded passengers. Troops from the White Knight Corps were mobilised to reach the area despite treacherous terrain and snow-blocked roads. Rescue teams provided hot meals, drinking water and temporary shelter to the affected civilians while working to restore vehicle mobility.
According to a statement shared by the White Knight Corps on social media, repair and recovery teams managed to move several vehicles, while passengers from vehicles that could not be recovered were safely evacuated. Medical teams also attended to those requiring assistance and distributed essential medicines during the operation.
Officials said the rescue mission continued for several hours under difficult weather conditions. Pankaj Kumar Sharma, along with Naresh Singh and the commanding officer of the Rashtriya Rifles’ 11th battalion, supervised the operation on the ground.
Meanwhile, authorities ordered the closure of all educational institutions located outside the municipal limits in Kishtwar and adjoining Doda district for Monday as a precautionary measure due to the ongoing inclement weather and safety concerns.
Also Read: Diplomatic Signals Emerge As China Confirms Talks With US Over Donald Trump Visit
