Kashmir witnesses season’s first snowfall

Srinagar: Kashmir witnessed this season’s first snowfall on Saturday while other parts of Valley too received snow, thus disrupting traffic and normal life.

Fresh snowfall occurred in lower and higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir, said a MeT spokesperson.

“Fresh snowfall in Kashmir capital Srinagar and other district headquarters including Zojila Pass, Drass, Kargil, Sonamarg, Pahalgam and Gulmarg from Friday mid night. However, snow started after a heavy rainfall in Srinagar from morning hours,” a department official said.

“Rains continued in the plains of the valley and the Jammu division during this period,” said MeT official.

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway reopened for traffic on Saturday after remaining closed for several hours due to landslides.

Traffic police officials said the highway re-opened after remaining closed due to landslides in Digdol and Ramsoo areas.

The strategic 434-km Srinagar-Leh highway remained closed for third consecutive day on Saturday due to heavy snowfall at Zojilla pass.

An official said that 1.5 feet snow has accumulated in tourist resort of Sonamarg while 3 feet snow accumulated at Zojila Pass.

Reports said that a large number of vehicles, including those carrying passengers, were stranded on both sides of the Zojila pass.

Reports said that the upper reaches of the Valley including Keran, Karnah, Gurez, Machil, Tanghdar, Uri, Gulmarg, Yousmarg, Pahalgam and Sonarmarg witnessed heavy snowfall. The plains including Srinagar have also experienced snowfall.

Many of the inter-district roads in the Valley are disconnected and there has also been breakdown of electricity with north Kashmir being the worst hit.

An airport official said that there was a significant improvement in visibility though from late afternoon hours some of the flights were cancelled.

“In case of improvement in visibility, all the flights will take off as per routine,” said an official at Srinagar Airport. (CNS)