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Wednesday, April 1, 1998 Published at 08:02 GMT 09:02 UK

World: S/W Asia

19 soldiers killed in Indian avalanche
image: [ The army camp bore the brunt of the avalanche which hit the Sikkim region ]

The army camp bore the brunt of the avalanche which hit the Sikkim region

A news agency is reporting that at least 19 Indian soldiers have died after a massive avalanche swept through an army camp in northeast India.

Six others have been injured and some soldiers are still missing following the incident in the state of Sikkim which borders Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.

[ image: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has expressed his condolences]
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has expressed his condolences
A senior officer said a sudden high wind triggered the fall of a huge block of snow down the mountain slopes near the 14,000 feet-high camp, which housed 100 soldiers.

Rescuers are still struggling to free five men thought to be still trapped under huge sheets of ice.

Northern Sikkim has been cut off for the last three days due to heavy landslides but some of the injured soldiers have been evacuated to an army hospital nearby.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has expressed "profound grief" at the deaths. Defence Minister George Fernandes plans to visit the area as soon as weather conditions make it possible.

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