Fresh snowfall shrouds entire Kashmir

SRINAGAR — Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, received its first snowfall of the season while the other parts of the Valley including higher reaches as well as plains also experienced fresh snowfall on Friday, leading to the suspension of flight operations to and from Srinagar International Airport.

Director of Srinagar International Airport, Kuldeep Singh, while speaking to the news agency KNO, said that a total of 66 flight operations including 33 departures and 33 arrivals were cancelled due to continuous snowfall and low visibility.

He added that only four flight operations including AirAsia I5 709/710, GoFirst G8 259/260, Indigo 6E 6022/6163 and Indigo 6E 2981/2982 could operate today following which all the flight operations scheduled for a day were cancelled due to low visibility. He said that the decision about tomorrow’s flight operations will be taken accordingly.

Most parts of the Valley including Srinagar recorded fresh snowfall today, the officials in the Meteorological department said, adding that the weather would remain mainly dry across Jammu and Kashmir from January 14-January 18 following which back-to-back Western Disturbances would affect J&K again from January 19.

“The weather would remain mostly cloudy from January 19 while there is a possibility of light to moderate snowfall at most parts of Kashmir on January 23,” Deputy Director MeT, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, informed.

The MeT officials said that Srinagar received a snowfall of 7 cm till 6:30 PM while Pahalgam and Gulmarg received a snowfall of 29.7 cm and 15 cm respectively. A snowfall of 25 cm was recorded at Qazigund while Kupwara recorded 0.5 cm of snow till 6:30 PM today.

Moreover, the inclement weather conditions also affected the electricity in some places including south and central Kashmir areas.

“There are some outages but during the ongoing snowfall, there has been no major outage anywhere. We have already pressed our men and machinery into the services and the electricity at these places is being restored in a short span of time,” Chief Engineer, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Javed Yousuf Dar said.

Furthermore, Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for vehicular movement today following the slippery condition of the road after fresh snowfall. “Traffic movement has been stopped on Jammu-Srinagar NHW from both ends in view of continuous snowing in Nowgam Banihal Sector, which lead to the intermittent shooting stones and mudslide at Mehar Ramban.”

Officials said that the men and machinery have already been pressed into service to clear the road.

The other major roads including Srinagar-Leh and Mughal Road continued to remain closed today. Besides, train services also remained suspended today.

Moreover, Jammu and Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority has issued an avalanche warning in several districts of Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of heavy snowfall since morning.

According to a communication, an avalanche with a high danger level is likely to occur above 2000 metres in Bandipora and Kupwara districts in the next 24 hours.

“Avalanche with medium danger level is likely to occur above 2000 metres over Baramulla and Ganderbal districts and avalanche with low danger level is likely to occur above 2000 metres over Anantnag, Doda, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Poonch and Ramban districts in the next 24 hours,” the communication reads.

It also advised people living in these areas to take precautions and avoid venturing into avalanche-prone areas.

In view of inclement weather, police established Emergency Helpdesk Control Rooms for the general public in order to facilitate them in case of any untoward incident or distress. For any emergency or exigency, the general public can also dial 112.

For Bandipora district, the helpline numbers include PCR Bandipora 01957225278, 9596767430, ASP Bandipora 9596767453, DYSP HQRS Bandipora 9596767440, SDPO Gurez 7006795292, SHO PS Gurez 7006250037, SHO PS Tulail 7780922131, DO Police Post Izmarg 9419991882, SHO PS Bandipora 9596767411, SHO PS Pethkote 9596767415, SHO PS Aragam 9596767421, DO Police Post Aloosa 9596767416, DO Police Post Sumlar 9596767413, DO Police Post Ajas 9596767452, SHO PS Hajin 9596767431 & SHO PS Sumbal 9596767441.

For district Budgam, the helpline numbers include PCR Budgam 01951-255207, 01951-255042, 8082567612, SHO Budgam 9419000538, SHO Magam 9906449794, SHO Khansahib 9596000212, SHO Chadoora 7006411196, SHO Charar-e-Sharief 9797279660, SHO Khag 9419905840, SHO Breewah 7006252476, DO Humhama 6005599737, DO Soibugh 9906000474, DO Narbal 9797626526, DO Waterihail 9419007052, DO Pakerpora 9797985415, Out-Post Hardipanzo 9596203940, DO Mouchwa 9797290222.

For district Kulgam, the helpline numbers include Police Control Kulgam (PCR) 01931260486, 7889786112, ASP Kulgam 9906605555, DySP Hqrs Kulgam 7051510654, SDPO DH Pora 7051510676, SHO PS Kulgam 7051510661, SHO PS Yaripora 7051510662, SHO PS DH Pora 7051510663, SHO PS Devsar 7051510664, SHO PS Qazigund 7051510665, SHO PS Qaimoh 7051510667, SHO PS Manzgam 7051510671, SHO PS Behibagh 7051510669, SHO PS Kund 7051510670, IC PP Frisal 7051510668, IC PP JT 7051510680, IC PP Mirbazar 7051510679.

The other helpline numbers include PCR Srinagar: 0194-2477567, 9596222550, 9596222551, PCR Ganderbal: 01942416564, 01942416478, 9906668731, PCR Awantipora: 01933247369, 7051404001, PCR Shopian: 9596768831, 01933-261891, 9596768831, PCR Anantnag: 01932-222870, 01932-222100, 9596777669, PCR Handwara: 01955262295, 9906767076, PCR Sopore: 01954-222312, 01954-225333, 9596773024, PCR Baramulla: 01952234410, 01952237830, 9596767768, PCR Kupwara: 01955-252451, 9596152621, 7051404938, PCR Pulwama: 01933-241280, 01933-241986, 8491942867, 9070123536 and PCR Kashmir: 0194-2506506, 0194-2506507.

Police also said that citizens can also avail of any kind of assistance by dialling 112.