J&K: 9 people missing as avalanche strikes car in Kupwara

Nine people, including a vehicle carrying six people, go missing in avalanche in north Kahmir's Kupwara district on Friday afternoon. Out of the nine people, six were in an SUV, while others were on the road.

The six passengers, reported to be tourists, and another three are missing, and a search and rescue operation has been launched by teams of police, Army, SDRF and Mountain Rescue.

A search and rescue operation was launched but a bad weather was hampering the process, the official said.

Avalanches are becoming frequent in upper reaches of the state with several army outposts too being struck in the past. Last month, three soldiers went missing when an avalanche hit their outpost Gurez - their bodies recovered days later. In a separate incident, two soldiers went down a deep gorge in the Nowgam sector along the LoC.

The MeT department has predicted that the cold wave in the state and across most parts of northern India is likely to continue till the end of the week.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)