A search and rescue team conducting operations near the Jawahar Tunnel in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district recovered the bodies of seven people on Friday, Greater Kashmir reported, quoting an unidentified police officer.

An avalanche hit the north entrance of the Jawahar Tunnel on the Qazigund side in Kulgam district on Thursday evening. Ten policemen posted at the police post managed to escape, but 10 other individuals were trapped.

Anantnag Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammad Younis Malik said on Friday that a joint team of the State Disaster Response Force, police and fire and emergency services rescued three people alive from the debris, Rising Kashmir reported.

The state received heavy snowfall and the Valley was cut off from the rest of the country for the second day on Thursday. Another avalanche had hit a house in Sanbradi Magam village in Kokernag area of southern Anantnag district in the evening, killing one person.

“Rescue teams are trying their best to reach the site,” the police had tweeted on Friday morning. “Strong wind and accumulation of snow on the path are making it difficult albeit the teams are nearby the site.”