Srinagar, Jan 25: Plains and higher reaches of Kashmir Wednesday received light to moderate snowfall, leaving thousands of vehicles stranded along Jammu-Srinagar highway while 14 to & fro flights were cancelled at Srinagar International Airport, officials said.
Director Srinagar International Airport, Kuldeep Singh Rishi told Rising Kashmir that 14 flights were cancelled due to continuous snowfall and poor visibility at the airport on Wednesday.
“After flight operations were resumed, the remaining 54 flights (27 arrivals and 27 departures) operated normally at the airport,” he said.
While hundreds of vehicles remained stranded along the 270-kilometre Srinagar-Jammu highway following the shooting stones, and landslides on the road.
A senior traffic department official said on 26 January, the Srinagar-Jammu highway will be closed for vehicular traffic and no traffic will be allowed from both sides.
Kashmir-bound trucks have been stopped at Qazigund junction, while stranded vehicles from Jammu have been stopped at Udampur, Nagrota, and other areas to avoid further congestion on the highway.
The Mughal road, another link connecting the twin Poonch-Rajouri districts of the Jammu region with South Kashmir’s Shopian district, is closed for vehicular traffic due to snowfall.
Director MeT, Sonam Lotus said light to moderate snowfall was reported from most places of Kashmir including the Pir-Panjal range. “Snowfall will stop gradually in plains whereas higher reaches will experience heavy snowfall till late Wednesday evening.
“On 26 January, there will be cloudy weather with 70-80 per cent possibility of a brief spell of rain and snowfall in morning hours. While it will decrease towards the afternoon. Between 27 and 28th January, the weather will remain mainly dry in the region,” he said.
Lotus said they were expecting another spell of light to moderate snowfall, rain likely from the 29th night -30th January.
As per MeT officials, Ski resort Gulmarg experienced 3 feet of fresh snowfall during the past 24 hours, 4 mm of rain in Srinagar, 1.5 Ft in Tangmarg, 20cm of snowfall in Kokernag, 24 cm of snowfall in Pahalgam and Qazigund 15 cms of snowfall.
Peer ki Galli also witnessed heavy snowfall and recorded more than 10-12 inches till Wednesday evening. Sinton Top, Minimarg, Sadhna Top, Zojila Pass, and Drass also received heavy snowfall.
J&K Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) issued a fresh snow avalanche warning in the low and higher reaches of seven districts of J&K.
JKDMA spokesman said an avalanche with a medium danger level is likely to occur above 2250 metres over Ganderbal, Bandipora, Kupwara, Doda, Kishtwar, & Ramban districts during the next 24 hours.
“People living in these areas are advised to take precautions and avoid venturing into avalanche-prone areas,” he said.
