ladakh snowfall, avalanche, soldiers death
Indian army vehicles move between walls of snow after the Srinagar-Leh highway opened to traffic in Zojila, 108 km (67 miles) east of Srinagar April 6, 2013. [Representational Image]Reuters

At least five people were killed and several injured after an avalanche hit a mini bus on the Bhaderwah-Basholi Highway in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. Five bodies were recovered by the rescue team from under the snow.

The avalanche hit the mini bus while it was travelling from Bani to Bhaderwah. According to BRO workers, who were clearing the snow and the debris near the Chattar Gali pass, the bus carrying 12 passengers rolled down into a gorge that was 1500-feet deep.

The workers began the rescue operation with the help of local residents and also informed the police about the accident, SDPO Bhaderwah Birjesh Sharma was quoted by the Press Trust of India as saying. "As of now three of the injured including driver of the vehicle have been rescued and sent to Sub District Hospital Bhaderwah," Sharma said.

In April 2017, three soldiers lost their lives after multiple avalanches hit the Batalik Sector of Jammu and Kashmir. At least five soldiers were trapped under snow in Ladakh due to the avalanche. Only two of them could be rescued while the other three died.

At least five Indian Army soldiers died after getting trapped under the snow at the army post in Jammu and Kashmir's Machil sector in january this year. 

At least 16 Indian soldiers died in two avalanches in the Gurez sector of Bandipora district and Sonamarg in central Kashmir's Ganderbal earlier this year.