India, March 27 -- Five people have been killed and seven injured after a massive avalanche hit Srinagar-Leh highway at Zoji La in Ladakh burying a number of vehicles and blocking the strategic highway.

The administration has launched a major rescue operation involving police, army, border roads organisation, SDRF and district administrations of Sonamarg and Drass after at-least 15 vehicles were partially or fully buried under snow following a massive avalanche in the afternoon. Men and machinery are at work to clear the road and look if there are any people trapped in the avalanche.

Police said that the avalanche struck the vehicles on the highway in the afternoon at Captain-turn at Zojila Pass in Drass.

Sub divisional magistrate Dras...