Fresh spell of snowfall, rain throw life out of gear in J&K

Fresh snowfall and heavy rains throw life out of gear in Jammu and Kashmir, while the weatherman has predicted more and Jammu & Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority (JKSDMA) has issued a fresh avalanche warning for 10 districts.

In Kashmir, moderate to very heavy snowfall since Sunday night stalled road, rail and air traffic.
Several flights have been cancelled at Srinagar International Airport on Monday morning.

Director, Srinagar International Airport Kuldeep Singh Reshi said that visibility is only 200 M and there is continuous snowfall.

He also advised passengers to avoid inconvenience and to avoid Congestion. “Please check the status of your flight from your airlines before coming to the airport”, he said.

The traffic on Srinagar-Jammu national highway was suspended due to shooting of stones and mudslides at many places between Banihal -Chanderkot and fresh snowfall at Qazigund area.

“Jammu-Srinagar NHW still blocked. People are advised not to travel on NH-44 without confirmation from TCUs”, a traffic police tweet said.

Train services were also affected due to snowfall and it was still snowing, Railways officials said and added “We are clearing snow from the track as soon as it is cleared the traffic would be restored”, he added.
Many far flung areas of Kashmir valley were also disconnected from their district headquarters due to heavy snowfall.

Srinagar and its adjoining areas wore a white blanket of snow much to the delight of the people and tourists staying here. Roof tops, trees, roads surrounding hills were covered with snow representing a glorious view of nature. This was the first major snowfall in Srinagar during this winter.
It was intermittently snowing at present in Srinagar and adjoining areas.

Tourist resorts of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, also received moderate to heavy snowfall today.
The Meteorological forecast of currently widespread moderate to Heavy Snowfall in Kashmir, Hilly areas of Jammu, Moderate Rain with thunderstorms at most places of Jammu.

IMD has issued ‘Orange color’ heavy snowfall warning for Jammu and Kashmir for today. It has predicted gradual decrease in precipitation from later tonight.

It said that heavy snowfall may cause snow avalanches in avalanche prone areas during the period as higher reaches have accumulated snowfall more than one ft. The MeT advised people not to venture in avalanche prone areas unless emergency during the next 2 days.

The MeT office said that Srinagar received 31.8mm of rain and 12.5 Cms of snow during the past 24 hours till 0830 hours.

Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national received 17.6mm of rainfall and 13.0 Cms of snow, tourist hot spot of Pahalgam in south Kashmir received 22.1mm of rain and 18.0 Cms of snow, Kupwara 7.3mm of rainfall and 4.5 Cms of snow, Kokernag 10.3mm of rainfall and 8.3 Cms of snow and Gulmarg in north Kashmir received 32.2mm of rain and 30.5 snow during the period, the MeT office said.

Police rescued three tourists from Uttar Pradesh who were caught in heavy snowfall near Nathatop on the Nathatop-Sanasar Road in Ramban district.

Acting on a distress call that some tourists were stuck in the snow near Nathatop on the Nathatop-Sanasar Road, a police team swung into action and carried out the operation.

The police party reached the spot amid intense snowfall and all three tourists were safely rescued, the officials added.

In view of heavy snowfall, the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir issued an avalanche warning in ten districts of the Union Territory on Monday, officials said.

The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in a statement said. High Danger ” level avalanches were likely to occur 2500 metres above sea level over the Doda, Kishtwar and Poonch districts of Jammu division during the next 24 hours.

Similarly a ‘Medium Danger’ level avalanche warning was also issued for the people living 1500 to 2500 metres above sea level over Bandipora, Baramulla, Kupwara in north Kashmir districts, Kulgam in south Kashmir, central Kashmir’s Bandipora district and Ramban in Jammu division during the next 24 hours.

Avalanche with ‘Low Danger’ level is likely to occur above 1500 metres above sea level over south Kashmir’s Anantnag district in next 24 hours, the statement added.

People living in these areas are advised to take precautions and avoid venturing in the avalanche prone areas.
Kashmir valley received the season’s first major snowfall that disconnected the valley with the rest of the country on Monday.

IMD had issued ‘orange color’ heavy snowfall warning for Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. It also warned that snowfall may cause avalanches in avalanche prone areas during the next 24 hours as higher reaches have accumulated more than one foot of fresh snow.