Army trains Gulmarg citizens to prevent casualties during snowfall

Gulmarg, Feb 29 (ANI): Indian Army officials trained rescue operation teams in world famous skiing resort of Gulmarg to prevent the causalities during natural calamities like avalanches.

"We have been deployed and trained to help people as well as tourists at the time of occurrence of a natural calamity. We are being trained in the process of rescuing tourists, if they get trapped in snow covered hills at the time of any natural calamity," said Athar Nazir, a member of the rescue team.

Inspector General of Kashmir Police S M Sahai said the police teams are also assisting army men in the rescue operations.

"Our police team, deployed in Gulmarg, is also helping the army, which they have done in the last few days. We are also making use of helicopters by Heli-skiing to rescue any trapped person" said Sahai.

On February 23, an army post of Sonmarg was severely hit along with Gurez, where 14 soldiers were killed, in the snow-propelled avalanche.

Heavy snowfall in the region this year has left locals to bear the brunt of the continuing cold snap as closure of the highway had impeded travel and food supplies.

This year's brutal cold wave and incessant snowfall has severely disrupted power and water supplies. (ANI)