Three soldiers were killed and one was injured after an avalanche struck an Army post at Sona Pandi Gali in Kupwara district’s Machil sector at 4.30 pm on Friday, the GNS news agency reported.

The soldiers were from the 21 Rajput regiment, an unidentified senior Army officer told GNS. One soldier reportedly died on the spot, and two others succumbed to their injuries while being transported to the base hospital at Badami Bagh cantonment near Srinagar.

The deceased soldiers were identified as Havaldar Kamlesh Kumar, Naik Balbeer and Sepoy Rajinder. Sepoy Bipin, who was injured, is reported to be in a stable condition.

Five soldiers had gone missing during an avalanche on December 11, 2017, in the Naugam sector in Kupwara district. The rescuers had been able to recover only one body. Last month, 11 people were killed in an avalanche that hit a passenger vehicle near Sadhna Top on the Kupwara-Tangdhar Road.