Two Army soldiers killed in avalanche in Siachen
Two soldiers were killed after an avalanche hit an army post in Siachen, Ladakh, sources said.
They said an avalanche hit the patroling party in sub-sector Haneef on Sunday afternoon, trapping a group of soldiers and porters.
“The soldiers were rescued but two of them later succumbed. Other soldiers and porters who were also in the area when the avalanche struck are stable and out of danger,” the sources said.
This was the third incident at Siachen this month. Earlier, on April 14, a junior commissioned officer was killed.
Hundreds of soldiers have died at Siachen, considered as highest battlefield in the world, due to the harsh weather conditions since India moved its troops into the area in the mid-1980s following conflict with Pakistan over the disputed region.
At Siachen glacier, which is at the height of around 20,000 ft in the Karakoram range, soldiers have to battle frostbite and high winds.
Avalanches and landslides are common at the glacier and temperatures can drop to as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius during winters.
Source: Deccan Herald
