Seven persons lost their lives and nine were injured after an avalanche hit Zoji La on the Srinagar-Ladakh highway on Friday. Several vehicles were trapped under the debris.A top Ladakh official told The Tribune that seven persons died in the incident and a rescue operation was immediately launched in the area.Vishal Atri, Subdivisional Magistrate, Drass, said five bodies, all of Kargil residents, had been brought to a hospital in Drass. Among the five deceased were two women and a child.A rescue operation was underway in the area till late on Friday night, while the stranded vehicles were cleared.A senior official said sniffer dogs too had been deployed in the area.Zoji La, a high-altitude mountain pass connecting Ladakh with Kashmir, usually remains closed for five to six months during the winter due to heavy snowfall. Earlier, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) said the pass had remained open amid snowfall in early March this time.The traffic on the mountainous Zoji La axis generally remains heavily dependent on weather conditions, with heavy snowfall and landslides often forcing road closures for several days during the winter.After the road was reopened recently, the traffic was allowed from Srinagar towards Kargil on Friday.Irfan Ahmad, a driver whose vehicle suffered damage in Friday’s avalanche, said the incident took place around 11.30 am.“It happened suddenly. I can’t believe that I am alive,” he said, adding that the police came to the spot shortly after the incident.“Phones were not working in the area and we couldn’t call anyone,” said Ahmad, a resident of north Kashmir’s Bandipora, who was on his way to Kargil to supply vegetables.He said after the avalanche struck their vehicles, they walked to a nearby area.In a post on X, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said, “Heard the unfortunate news of an avalanche at Zoji La. I have directed the DC and SSP of Kargil to visit the spot immediately and mobilise a relief and rescue operation.”“All government agencies, including disaster relief forces and BRO, have been put on high alert. I am personally monitoring the situation,” the L-G said.Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa Jan said Zojila is the lifeline of Ladakh, “yet repeated incidents like this expose serious gaps in safety preparedness”.“At the same time, there is an urgent need to implement a fixed and scientifically planned traffic schedule, preferably during early morning hours when avalanche risks are significantly lower. Preventive measures must replace reactive responses,” he said.Meanwhile, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives.