Horrifying scenes unfolded earlier at a Himalayan skiing resort in Kashmir. What looked like a calm and clear day, suitable for skiers to enjoy, turned into a gruesome disaster. A massive avalanche roared through the skiing route accessible from the resort, catching the people below off guard. At the time of the avalanche, many tourists were on the slopes skiing.

Rescue attempts began immediately after the avalanche subsided as officials rushed to the site. However, despite their best efforts, not everyone caught in the wall of snow survived the ordeal.

When a fun skiing session turned into death from above

Horrified onlookers saw a massive avalanche barrel down the slope of the mountain. It gathered momentum before hitting the helpless skiers. Rescue teams immediately rushed to the spot and pulled out 21 people buried under the snow. The avalanche happened in Gulmarg, Kashmir. According to the police, the area had seen high levels of snowfall in the last few days.

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The avalanche originated at the peak of the 14,400 ft. tall Mount Apharwat. The mountain is part of the Pir Panjal mountain range, a popular skiing destination that attracts many international tourists. While accidents can happen during skiing, one cannot detect or avoid an avalanche.

However, all who were rescued didn’t survive the devastating avalanche. According to a Daily Mail report, police officer Amod Nagpuri explained how the rescue operation went. “During the rescue ops, 19 foreign nationals and 2 local guides have been rescued… Unfortunately, 2 foreign nationals lost their lives in the avalanche, and their dead bodies have also been recovered.”, the police revealed. The foreign nationals who lost their lives were Polish.

Devastating avalanches have claimed soldiers’ lives

Kashmir is among the most heavily militarized zones on the entire planet. Indian and Pakistani soldiers regularly patrol the LOC on their respective sides of the border. These soldiers are always at risk of meeting with a similar natural disaster, that claimed the lives of the two Polish tourists. In fact, it has happened multiple times in the past.

In 2010, at least 17 Indian soldiers lost their lives in an avalanche in Gulmarg. The soldiers were training at the Indian army’s High-Altitude Warfare school in the region. Another devastating avalanche claimed the lives of 140 people in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Among them, 129 were Pakistani army soldiers. In 2017, three avalanches killed 20 Indian army soldiers in Kashmir.

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Evidently, natural disasters neither stop for sporting enthusiasts, nor care for local borders. What do you feel about the risks of skiing on mountain slopes? Let us know in the comments.