Ladakh: Five Army soldiers killed after being swept away in flash floods

Five soldiers of the Indian Army were killed after being swept away in flash floods while their tank was crossing a river in the Daulat Beg Oldie area of eastern Ladakh, near the Line of Actual Control with China.

Four jawans and one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) were crossing a river in the Nyoma-Chushul area in a T-72 tank as part of a drill, when there was a sudden increase in the water levels and the tank sank due to its impact, according to PTI.

Defence officials said, "Five Indian Army soldiers, including one junior commissioned officer (JCO) and four jawans, lost their lives in a mishap during a river crossing exercise last evening in Daulat Beg Oldie area. All five bodies have been recovered.”

Heavy rainfall has been lashing parts of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh for the past couple of days, with landslides in Shimla, Kullu and Kinnaur districts, on June 28.

In Shimla, several vehicles were damaged due to a landslide in the Malyana area. Roads were blocked and traffic came to a halt following landslides in Kullu and Kinnaur districts as well.