Avalanche kills at least 19 in northeast India

April 1, 1998
Web posted at: 8:31 a.m. EST (1331 GMT)

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- High winds triggered an avalanche that killed at least 19 soldiers in the mountains of northeastern India, news agencies reported Wednesday.

Military officials told the Press Trust of India that Tuesday's avalanche hit a camp housing 100 soldiers at Thanggu in the Sikkim state at a mountain altitude of 14,000 feet (4,250 meters). Sikkim is 680 miles east of the capital, New Delhi.

At least nine bodies were recovered, but PTI quoted the senior officer at the camp as saying that rescue workers were trying to free five soldiers trapped under huge sheets of ice. They held out little hope of reaching them, he said. At least six people were injured and evacuated to a nearby army hospital.

Rescue operations were being hindered by heavy snow, and the area remained cut off by road, the United News of India said. Forecasters predict more bad weather over the next few days.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee expressed his condolences, PTI said. Defense Minister George Fernandes was to visit those hospitalized and go to the site once weather permitted.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• Avalanche kills sleeping villagers - March 24, 1996
• Avalanche buries Kashmir village; 40 feared dead - March 19, 1996

Related sites:

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• Press Trust of India
• Parliament of India - official site
• Cyberspace Snow and Avalanche Center

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