3 army soldiers killed in avalanches in Kashmir's Batalik sector

Army on Friday found bodies of three soldiers who were missing after multiple avalanches struck the post in Batalik scetor of Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Army today recovered bodies of three soldiers who went missing during avalanches,” an army official said.

Unprecedented snowfall triggered multiple avalanches in Batalik on Thursday, burying a post, he said.

The soldiers have been identified as -- Havaldar Prabhu Kirke, 43, Lance Naik Bihari Marandi, 34, and Sepoy Kuldeep Lakra, 22.

All of them hailed from Jharkhand, the official said.

The bodies were trapped under 15 feet of snow. The soldiers were deployed at the hills of Kargil.

Fresh avalanches on Friday hit army posts in Kaksar belt of Kargil district but all affected soldiers were rescued, he said.

In Jammu region one person was killed and 8 others injured, while over 40 structures including houses and a temple were damaged in incidents of floods and high speed winds.

One woman was washed away after a drain was flooded Sudhmahadev area, while around 8 persons were injured in Udhapur district, DC Neeraj Kumar said.

Efforts are on to restore the power supply and clear the roads in the district, he said.

Four shops and some houses were also damaged in floods in Mendhar belt of Poonch district, officials said adding that 17 people washed away in flash floods have been rescued.

In Reasi district, 40 sheep were killed after a cow shed collapsed due to heavy rains in Shandi Balmatkote area on Thursday, they said.