Shimla, Sept. 30 -- Around 2,000 sheep and goats are feared to have been buried under heavy snowfall in the high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district, Revenue, Horticulture and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi said on Wednesday, adding that a rescue team has reached the Rupin Pass to assess the extent of the loss.

Negi, while speaking to reporters in Shimla, said the incident occurred amid heavy snowfall in the high-altitude areas of Kinnaur, where local shepherds traditionally migrate with their sheep and goats towards winter pastures.

"Heavy snowfall occurred in the high-altitude areas of Kinnaur on September 27. At the same time, shepherds were crossing the Rupin Pass with their herds towards their winter...