Avalanche in India's Kashmir leaves one Russian skier dead; 6 rescued

Members of a rescue team arrive to search for trapped skiers after an avalanche hit in the Kongdoori area, in the ski resort of Gulmarg in Kashmir region Feb 22, 2024. REUTERS/Aabid Nabi

One Russian skier was killed and six others rescued after being trapped in the snow following an avalanche near a Himalayan ski resort in Indian Kashmir on Thursday, an official in Kashmir's Gulmarg town said.

The avalanche swept through the peaks near Gulmarg, which is popular with tourists and where disaster management authorities had issued an avalanche warning on Wednesday after heavy snowfall earlier in the week.

Wasim Raja, chief of the Gulmarg Development Authority, said the rescued skiers and their guide were receiving treatment for minor injuries.

Deadly avalanches in the Indian Himalayas have killed more than 120 people since 2021. Two Polish skiers died and 19 were rescued after an avalanche in the peaks around Gulmarg in February last year.