Leh: In a tragic incident, at least six persons lost their lives after a powerful avalanche struck a passenger vehicle at Zoji La Pass on Friday, officials said.
A senior official said that the vehicle came under a massive snow slide along the high-altitude pass, leading to the death of all six occupants on the spot.
Soon after the incident, rescue teams rushed to the site and launched a massive operation to retrieve the bodies and clear the debris. Authorities said efforts are underway to restore traffic movement on the strategic highway connecting Kashmir with Ladakh.
Reacting to the incident, Vinai Kumar Saxena said he has directed the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police of Kargil to immediately visit the site and oversee relief and rescue operations.
“All government agencies, including disaster response forces and the Border Roads Organisation, have been put on high alert. I am personally monitoring the situation,” the LG said.
Officials added that further details are awaited as the rescue operation continues under challenging weather conditions.
