Another body found, toll mounts to eight

SRINAGAR: The body of a policeman, who was missing following an avalanche near Jawahar Tunnel in Kulgam district two days ago, was found on Saturday, taking the death toll in the incident to eight, police said.

The body was extricated by a search and rescue team this morning, a police official said.

An avalanche hit a police post in the north portal of Jawahar Tunnel in Kulgam district on Thursday evening. While 10 cops were able to rush to safety, 10 others were trapped.

Bodies of five policemen and two prisoners were retrieved by the search and rescue team on Friday, he said. While two cops were rescued, another was missing.

Heavy snowfall across Kashmir on Wednesday and Thursday has triggered avalanches and snowslides at many places in the hilly areas of the Valley.

Meanwhile, according to news agency ANI, multiple aval a nches a nd l a ndsl i des in Jammu and Kashmir have left the Jammu-srinagar National Highway closed, for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday.

There has been complete disruption of transport services, leading to thousands of people stranded.as the 300-kilometrelong highway is closed, trucks carrying goods to the state are also stranded.a commuter told ANI, “We face the same situation every year. The government must do something.”

The snowfall has also affected air traffic with many flights facing cancellation in Srinagar.