Leh: Three Indian Army personnel were killed after a massive avalanche struck the Siachen Glacier in Ladakh on Tuesday. There is the possibility of others being trapped under the snow. A massive search and rescue operation has been launched.
Precautions are also being taken to protect other troops in the vicinity, in case more avalanches occur. Inclement weather and the rough terrain is hampering rescue efforts, officials said. The incident highlights the perilous conditions faced by troops in the region.
Siachen, considered the highest battlefield in the world, is a 76 km long glacier in the Karakoram range of the Himalayas. Its altitude ranges from 3,620 metres to 5,753 metres. Harsh weather has treacherous terrain has killed more Indian troops on the glacier than enemy firing. The Indian Army maintains a permanent bases at Siachen since 1984.
On April 2021, two Indian Army soldiers, Sepoy Prabhjit Singh and Sepoy Amardeep Singh of 21 Punjab, were killed in an avalanche in Sub Sector Haneef, Southern Siachen Glacier. The avalanche struck their patrol at around 1 pm, and despite rescue efforts, both soldiers succumbed to their injuries. Other soldiers and porters in the area were rescued.
On November 18, 2019, an avalanche in the northern sector of Siachen Glacier buried a group of eight soldiers and two civilian porters. The avalanche struck around 3 pm, and despite rescue efforts, four soldiers and two porters died due to extreme hypothermia. The remaining personnel were rescued and evacuated to a military hospital.
