Moderate to heavy snowfall in Kashmir valley, flights cancelled
Srinagar, Jan 5: Kashmir valley experienced moderate to heavy snowfall leading to the closure of several far off areas and cancellation of several flights to and from Srinagar International Airport on Wednesday.
Officials said that nine scheduled flights at Srinagar International Airport were cancelled and few more were delayed due to inclement weather and poor visibility. Only a few flights were allowed to fly to their destinations on Tuesday evening after about 42 flights were cancelled earlier due to bad weather and poor visibility.
Srinagar has been experiencing intermittent rain and snow since early morning disrupting normal life.
Reports of moderate to heavy snowfall are reaching from all parts of the Kashmir valley.
A Meteorological Department office forecast again issued an “Orange Alert’ and predicts that Jammu and Kashmir will receive widespread rain along with heavy to very heavy snow (2 feet over higher reaches) which has been occurring since yesterday.
It predicts a significant decrease in precipitation from Wednesday evening. It however, warned of another intense spell (heavy to very heavy) of snow during January 7-8.
It has once again requested people not to venture in avalanche prone areas (our data shows that most avalanches triggered during intense heavy snowfall), the MeT office said
A report from Banihal on Srinagar-Jammu national highway received 8-10 inches of fresh snow and it was currently snowing heavily in the area. However, traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway was moving smoothly, a traffic police official said.
Reports of moderate to heavy snowfall were also received from Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam, Shopian, Gurez, Bandipora, Kupwara and Kokernag. It was still snowing at these places when reports last came in.
The far flung area of Sadhna top, Keran-Karnh road in frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara, Razdan pass in Bandipora, Mughal road connecting Shopian in south Kashmir to Rajouri district of Jammu besides other far flung areas remained closed due to the snowfall, the sources said.
Snowfall was reported from Gumri, Captain More, Zojila pass on the Srinagar-Ladakh national highway which was also closed for vehicular traffic, the sources said.