Nine people trapped in an avalanche on Thursday in north Kashmir's Sonamarg hill station were rescued alive in a joint rescue operation on Friday by the army, the air force and the civilian administration. A statement issued on Friday morning by the provincial disaster management authority said: "Nine people trapped in an avalanche under the Shitkari Bridge in Sonamarg area were rescued today (Friday) in a joint rescue operation by the army, the air force, local police and the civil administration, with the help of locals."