Fresh avalanche in Kashmir kills army jawan

A snow cutter clears the snow from a road during heavy snowfall at Gulmarg in Baramulla on Monday. As many as 17 Army personnel were killed in a snow avalanche in Gulmarg, 70 kms from Srinagar.

SRINAGAR: A fresh avalanche hit Kashmir Valley killed an army jawan in Kupwara district, a day after 17 armymen met a similar fate during a winter warfare training exercise.

The avalanche hit Tangdhar, 145 kms from here, around 0345 hours trapping 14 army personnel, a defense spokesman said.

All the 14 army personnel were extricated from the deep snow but one of them died later.

A massive avalanche had slammed the popular ski resort of Gulmarg the previous day killing 17 soldiers and injuring an equal number when the troops were in the midst of a winter warfare training on steep slopes about 70km from here.

The avalanche came hurtling down on the 60-strong combat troops as they were scaling the icy walls of high-altitude Khilanmarg peak in near zero visibility.