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Srinagar: At least 16 Army soldiers were killed after an avalanche smashed into a military training camp near the border with Pakistan on Monday, said officials.

The officer killed is Lt. Prateek, said a defence official and added that rescue operations are going on in the north Kashmir district.

The accident occurred in Khilanmarg near Gulmarg, a ski resort visited by thousands of people, including some foreigners, every winter.

The avalanche hit the Army's High Altitude Warfare School in northwest Kashmir, a rugged area at an altitude of 2,730 m (9,000 feet) near a military line.

The avalanche came down on a 60-strong group as they were going up the sheer ice walls in Khilanmarg with near zero visibility. They were part of a group of 350 soldiers selected for advanced winter warfare course run by the Gulmarg-based school, Col Brar said.

The group had set out at 0800 hours on Monday from Gulmarg and reached Khilanmarg eight km uphill at a height of over 10,000 feet to set up a winter warfare training camp when they were hit by the avalanche, Col Brar said.

Army spokesperson Colonel J S Brar and police said that 15 men were buried in snow and 17 others were extricated and moved to base hospital at Srinagar. Two soldiers were still missing and 26 others had been rescued by nightfall.

The Army personnel were being trained on advanced snow craft and were well away from the electric gondola that connects Gulmarg with Aparwhat mountain top used by skiers.

Gulmarg and its surrounding areas have been receiving unprecedented snowfall for the past two days with reports of six-feet of snow in certain areas.

The government weather forecaster said snow and sleet would continue to hit Kashmir mountains for the next two days. Avalanches occur frequently in Kashmir.

Heavy snow blocked Kashmir's main highway, the only road link to the rest of the country, for the third day on Monday.

"It is snowing heavily and there is fog. Weather is hampering rescue operations," senior police official A Q Manhas said.

Officials said there was little chance of any tourist being trapped as the avalanche was triggered at an altitude higher than the popular skiing slopes.

(With inputs from Reuters and PTI)

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