Jammu: With the recovery of one more body, the death toll has risen to three in the Warwan mountainous belt, struck by unseasonal heavy snowfall, where the IAF continued its operations to rescue trapped nomads and provide relief for the seventh day.
The body of Mohammad Rafeeq Gujjar has been recovered from the snow-bound Zabarnallah belt of Warwan in Kishtwar district, a district official said here Monday.
With the death of one more person, the toll gone up to three, he said, adding that two bodies, including that of a child, were recovered from under the snow in the region on
Friday last.
The operation to locate and rescue nomads trapped in the remotest areas of Warwan and Mardwa belts is going on and seven different teams of the army, police and civil
administration are involved in the operation.
According to the assessment of Gujjar and Bakerwal communities of this belt provided to the joint teams, over 32,000 livestock and more than 150 people are missing due to
the unseasonal snowfall in Warwan and Marwah belts of the district.
Heavy rains and snowfall lashed the upper reaches of Warwan, Marwah and Navapachi areas in Kishtwar district on May 28 and 29.
"The air operation to rescue and provide relief supplies to the trapped nomads and their livestock continued for the 7th day today," Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Haseeb
Mughal said.
Sorties by MI-17 and Cheetah choppers were undertaken in Nawapachi and Inshan belts of Kishtwar district today, he said, adding that relief material, medicines, blankets and
warm clothing were carried for those trapped in snow.
The IAF`s air operation, which started on Monday, has so far airdropped 2,200 kgs of supplies and relief material in the affected areas by conducting over 40 to 50 sorties, he said.
"Authorities have been able to reach 85 per cent of the affected persons trapped in the unseasonal snowfall in Marwah and Dachan belts of Kishtwar district," Mughal said.
"We have provided them relief, ration, medicines and warm clothing," he said.
Bureau Report
