Ganderbal: Two labourers of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) working for Zojilla Tunnel project died after they were buried under a massive avalanche in Sarbal village of Sonamarg on Thursday.
An official said that an avalanche hit Sarbal village near Sonamarg on Thursday around 10:30 am burying under it two labourers working for Zojilla Tunnel project.
The official said that the labourers were camping in a nearby area.
Soon after the incident, Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL), State Disaster Response Force Police (SDRF), Police, and Army launched a rescue operation to trace out the missing persons.
Sub Divisional Magistrate Kangan Javaid Ahmad, Tehsildar Gund Javid Iqbal, Police and MEIL officials were supervising the rescue operation throughout day and after snow clearance from the avalanche site, two bodies of the labourers were recovered.
Tehsildar Gund Javid Iqbal told Greater Kashmir that two persons who were missing were working as labourers with MEIL and camping in the area near the avalanche spot.
“They got buried under the snow. Both the bodies were recovered after hectic efforts of the rescue teams,” he said. “The administration had already issued an avalanche warning for several higher reaches and advised people living around to take precautions and restrict their movement in such areas.”
Project Manager MEIL, Harpal Singh told Greater Kashmir that it seemed that the two labourers were out at the time the avalanche occurred and unfortunately the avalanche was so massive that it buried both, resulting in their death.
Singh identified the two labourers as Bal Kishan and Sandeep Singh residents of Padar Kishtwar.
“The bodies have been kept at Primary Health Center (PHC) Sonamarg and after legal formalities will be sent to their home for last rites,” he said.
Singh said that immediate relief would be provided to the victim families and every possible help would be provided to their kin.
He said that the labourers were not working at any construction site at the time of the incident but were camping at their barrack and had gone outside at the time of the avalanche.