Over 220 passengers rescued after snow traps 31 vehicles at Sinthan Top in Jammu Kashmir

Over 220 passengers rescued after snow traps 31 vehicles at Sinthan Top in Jammu Kashmir

Anantnag, Mar 16: Over 220 passengers were rescued late on Sunday after 31 vehicles got stranded at Sinthan Top due to a sudden and heavy spell of snowfall, officials said.

The high-altitude pass was blocked following the fresh snowfall, prompting an immediate SOS from the stranded travellers, they said.

An official told news agency Kashmir News Service, that a joint rescue operation was launched by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

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The official said the rescue teams worked under challenging weather conditions for several hours to evacuate the stranded people.

All 220 passengers were safely evacuated along with their vehicles. The operation was successfully concluded around 11:30 pm after they were escorted to Kokernag town.

No casualties were reported in the incident, he added.

A senior police officer told Kashmir News Service, that timely coordination between the agency and the police department ensured the safe rescue of all passengers.

The officer advised travellers to check weather and road conditions before undertaking journeys in high-altitude areas and to strictly adhere to advisories to avoid such incidents.–(KNS)