Srinagar/Jammu: About 350 tourists and locals, stranded due to heavy snowfall, were rescued by Army from 11,500 feet high Zojila pass along Srinagar-Leh national highway, a defence spokesman said on Friday.
The night-long rescue operation in coordination with civil administration was carried out by army rescue columns despite continuous snowfall and sub-zero temperature, Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said in a statement.
Visitors to the area got stuck as regions around the pass like Sonamarg, Baltal and Nilgrar received heavy snowfall since Thursday which also led to traffic jams at many places, leaving over 250 trucks and passenger vehicles stranded.
Since November 21, he said the vehicles had moved from Sonamarg towards Zojila Pass but the untimely and heavy snowfall, especially on the higher reaches, resulted in many vehicles skidding off the road and getting stranded in the snow, causing a traffic jam at many places.
The stranded vehicles were recovered and organised for moving back. (PTI)
