An analysis of the heavy snowfall events that occurred at the majority of districts in Kashmir during January 2017 was analysed by Rafiq and Mishra [4] using station data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Maximum daily accumulated snowfall measurements of about 11.5 and 9.2 cm were recorded at Pahalgam and Banihall stations, respectively, on 26 January 2017.
Data from the region reveal that the accumulated snow from three episodes of intense snowfall during 6–8, 15–17 and 25–27 January 2017 resulted in an avalanche over Kashmir.
The second took place around the same time in Sonmarg, chiefly a tourist area, where an army camp was located.
While seven soldiers were rescued later Indian Army Braveheart Major Amit Sagar, who had been buried in snow was martyred In the evening, two avalanches again hit the Gurez Valley roughly 150 km from Sonmarg in quick succession.