Rakib Altaf
SRINAGAR: Authorities have shifted around 140 people to safer places from Waltengu Nard, an avalanche prone area where at least 200 villagers died after a snow-storm hit them seven years ago.
Kashmir valley received heavy snow since Thursday evening which continued till Friday afternoon.
Although no avalanche or snow storm occurred at the Nard (gorge) in south Kashmir, officials say members of 36 families have been evacuated to “prevent casualties should any such thing happen”.
“The process began on Friday evening, but the villagers refused to vacate citing grievances with the government over relief for the victims of the 2005 avalanche,” said Superintendent of Police, Kulgam, Muhammad Shafi.
He said the villagers left their homes in the gorge after assurances by the civil administration this morning and were adjusted at their relatives’ in a nearby village.
“But all through the night our personnel stayed there to keep vigil,” he added.
In 2005, at least 200 villagers died after a blizzard hit Waltengu and Naginpora gorges in South Kashmir’s Islamabad district.
A heavy snowfall during the last couple of days prompted authorities to issue avalanche alerts across blizzard prone areas of the valley. Yesterday, panic spread as media organisation reported that “an avalanche hit the Waltengu Nard again” and that a major rescue operation was on to retrieve villagers trapped under snow.
“There was no untoward incident here. Our operation was part of a precaution measure in the avalanche-prone area,” SP Shafi said.
