The Srinagar–Leh National Highway remained closed on Saturday as snow clearance continued after an avalanche at Zojila Pass on Friday killed seven people, including a ten-year-old child, and buried several vehicles.
"The highway is closed for traffic, and snow clearance operations are underway," officials said. Traffic will be allowed once the road is cleared of avalanche debris, they added.
Jammu and Kashmir police, the army, CRPF, Ladakh Police, SDRF and the civil administration are searching for the missing. The avalanche struck on Friday, trapping vehicles and people in its path.
Rescue teams have been working to locate survivors and recover bodies amid challenging weather. Authorities said the highway would reopen only after the debris is cleared and the route is safe.
Vehicles were reportedly heading to Kargil when the avalanche hit Zojila Pass, situated at 11,500 feet, on Friday afternoon.
Videos from the site showed people working frantically to free those trapped under the snow. Many lives were saved thanks to quick action, often by fellow travellers.
Officials said several of the injured were in serious condition and had been shifted to hospitals in Drass and Sonamarg. Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday confirmed that seven people had died and five others were injured.
The Srinagar-Kargil National Highway had been blocked by heavy snowfall for several days, with multiple avalanches reported, but Friday’s incident was the first to result in casualties.
Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa called the event a “stark reminder of the harsh and dangerous realities our people are forced to endure while travelling on this critical route.”
He added, “Zoji La is the lifeline of Ladakh, yet repeated incidents like this expose serious gaps in safety preparedness,” and demanded “immediate relief and support” for affected families.
Haneefa also highlighted the need for a traffic schedule based on scientific assessment, pointing out that “avalanche risks are significantly lower” in the morning.
Ladakh lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said he had instructed the Kargil deputy commissioner and senior superintendent of police to visit the site without delay and coordinate relief and rescue efforts.
“All government agencies, including disaster relief forces and (the) BRO (Border Roads Organisation), have been put on high alert,” he said.