New Delhi: Seven people were killed, and five others were injured following a massive avalanche near Zoji La in Ladakh. Many vehicles, too, were buried. As a result of this mishap, the Srinagar-Leh highway has been blocked. The Ladakh administration has launched a major rescue operation involving police, army, border roads organisation, SDRF and district administrations. The stretch between Zero Point and Minimarg was hit by multiple avalanches on Friday, 27 March 2026, in the afternoon, leaving several vehicles trapped under the debris. The number of casualties is likely to increase as many vehicles are still fully buried under the snow and have yet to be rescued.
Where Did the Incident Occur?
Police stated that the avalanche struck vehicles travelling on the highway near ‘Captain’s Turn’ at the Zoji La pass in Drass on Friday afternoon. According to a report by the Hindustan Times, Vishal Atri, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Dras, confirmed that five deaths have been verified in this tragic incident. The deceased include three men, one woman, and one child.Death Toll May Rise
Officials indicated that the death toll could rise, as some vehicles remain completely buried under the snow. Atri noted that rescue operations are currently underway from both sides of the highway—being conducted from Sonamarg on the Kashmir side and from Drass on the Ladakh side. He added that the rescue operation has been continuing uninterrupted since 1:00 PM and is expected to continue for another three to four hours.Source link
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