VOA标准英语2010年-Kashmir Avalanche Buries India Army So

A vehicle carrying Indian Army rescue team is on its way to Gulmarg, via Tangmarg, northwest of Srinagar, 08 Feb 2010

At least 17 Indian Army personnel were killed when an avalanche¹ hit a training sub camp in the mountains of Kashmir.  About a dozen injured soldiers have been rescued.

The avalanche swept over the soldiers at an advance camp of the Army's High Altitude Warfare² Training School at Khilanmarg, at an altitude of more than 2,700 meters.

A combined rescue team composed of military personnel, police and tourism officials, working in fog and snowfall more than two meters deep, took several hours to recover the bodies of those killed.

The senior superintendent³ of police in the city of Baramulla, Shakeel Baig, says 12 of the soldiers who were rescued required medical treatment, but he says their injuries are not life-threatening.

"They are out of danger.  The rescue operation is still going on," he said.

Authorities say an avalanche warning had been issued after several days of heavy snowfall.

The avalanche occurred above the ski resort town of Gulmarg, 50 kilometers northwest of Srinagar in the heavily-militarized Indian-administered section Kashmir.  Officials in Gulmarg say no tourists were injured as the avalanche hit at an altitude above the skiing area.

The High Altitude Warfare School is the Indian Army's primary institute for such training and was set up more than 60 years ago initially⁴ to teach skiing to front-line infantry⁵ troops. 

Avalanches⁶ occur frequently in the region, which is claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan.

The dispute over Kashmir has triggered two wars between the rivals since they gained independence in 1947 from Britain.  Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are stationed along both sides of the Line of Control.
 

1 avalanche   

n.雪崩，大量涌来

参考例句：

• They were killed by an avalanche in the Swiss Alps.他们在瑞士阿尔卑斯山的一次雪崩中罹难。
• Higher still the snow was ready to avalanche.在更高处积雪随时都会崩塌。

2 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

3 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

4 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

5 infantry   

n.[总称]步兵(部队)

参考例句：

• The infantry were equipped with flame throwers.步兵都装备有喷火器。
• We have less infantry than the enemy.我们的步兵比敌人少。

6 avalanches   

n.雪崩( avalanche的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The greatest dangers of pyroclastic avalanches are probably heat and suffocation. 火成碎屑崩落的最大危害可能是炽热和窒息作用。 来自辞典例句
• Avalanches poured down on the tracks and rails were spread. 雪崩压满了轨道，铁轨被弄得四分五裂。 来自辞典例句