Gopal Sharma/ Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Mar 10: While Jammu-Srinagar, Batote-Doda-Kisht-war and many link roads have been closed with the continuous rain and snowfall across J&K, the cold wave has gripped the entire Jammu region.
Srinagar and adjoining areas woke up to a blanket of snow today while hills received heavy snowfall forcing authorities to issue fresh avalanche warning. After incessant rains in Srinagar for last few days, there was overnight snow in Srinagar and other areas. As the day broke, it started raining resulting in the melting of the snow.
The incessant rains and snowfall led to waterlogging on roads in Srinagar due to faulty drainage system. The low lying areas of Srinagar were inundated due to heavy rains.
Around two inches of snowfall was recorded in Valley while hills received heavy snowfall. Gulmarg received 16 inches, Tangmarg 9 inches, Kunzar 6 inches, Chandoosa 6 inches, Baba Reshi 7 inches, Sadna Top 4 inches, Z-Gali one feet, Macchil 8 inches and Razdhan Top one feet of snow since last night.
—Excelsior/Tilak Raj
Jawahar Tunnel area receieved 2.6 feet of snow, Zig one feet, Qazigund 6 inches, Pahalgam around 2 feet, Shopian one feet, Heerpora 3 feet and Kellar 6 inches of snow.
After heavy snowfall in the hills, the Divisional Administr-ation Kashmir today issued a fresh avalanche warning for next 24-hours for hilly and avalanche prone areas of Kashmir and Kargil district.
With the snowfall at Patnitop, higher reaches of Trikuta hills of Katra Mata Vaishnodevi, Bhaderwah, Rajouri – Poonch and other areas of Jammu region, a sharp fall in the temperature has been witnessed during past two days. Jammu’s temperature has witnessed a sharp fall of 7 degree Celsius in past 24 hours while the temperature of Bhaderwah and Banihal has experienced fall of 14 degrees Celsius.
The winter capital city experienced heavy rain during early hours today and also in the evening. Bhaderwah town and Patnitop experienced about 6 inch snowfall. The higher peaks of Trikuta hills of Mata Vaishnodevi, towns like Dudu, Basantgarh, Latti, Pancheri in Udhampur, Gool, Banihal in Ramban and Loran Saijian, Bafliaz in Poonch, Bani Loang and Machhedi in Kathua also witnessed snowfall besides parts of Budhal and Thanna Mandi in Rajouri. Kishtwar, Gandoh, Paddar and Chhatroo areas also recorded light snowfall.
Four persons were rescued from higher reaches of Bani in Kathua when they had gone for hunting. They got trapped due to heavy snowfall in Khanbi area. One person was still missing and search operation was going on there, the official sources said.
The power supply to most of the areas in Dudu-Basantgarh of Udhampur ; Bani,Duggan, Loang and Machhedi, Malhar in Katbua; Mahore and Chasana- Sungri area of Reasi has been snapped. Many areas of Ramban, Bhaderwah, Gandoh, Doda and Kishtwar and parts of Mandi and Balakote areas of Poonch are also without power supply since last night.
Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for the third consecutive day today due to snowfall, shooting stones and slides. No traffic was allowed from Jammu to Srinagar because of fresh snowfall in Bannihal sector and landslides in the Ramban area of the highway.
An official said that heavy rains triggered landslides and shooting stones in the Ramban sector leading to closure of the highway. He said BRO is continuously clearing the highway of slides and shooting stones. He said that due to bad weather and condition of road, no traffic will be allowed on the National highway.
The official further said that highway has been blocked due to landslides at least at eight places between Batote, Ramban and Banihal. Batote –Doda-Kishtwar road has also been blocked due to landslides at two places but authorities cleared it in the evening. But due to snowfall at Pantnitop, the movement of vehicles remained suspended. Over 1150 vehicles including load carriers have been stranded in Udhampur and Manwal area while over 2000 in Nagrota- Bypass and parts of Samba–Mansar road during last two days, official sources said.
Reports from Poonch said that Mandi-Loran, Mandi- Saujian and Surankote-Bafliaz Dera Gali and Thannamandi roads have also been blocked due to fresh snowfall. Mahore-Budhal and Mahore Gool road, Chenani-Lati-Dudu and Ramnagar-Basantgarh-Dudu roads were also lying closed since Thursday.
A Met spokesman said that Jammu recorded a maximum 18.9 degree Celsius temperature and minimum 10.3 degree C. Today’s temperature in Jammu was about 7 degree C below normal. Bhaderwah town recorded maximum 1.8 degree C temperature and minimum -1.0 deg C, Katra town maximum 13.3 degree C and minimum 7.6 deg C, Batote maximum 2.5 degree C and minimum -0.3 degree C and Banihal town maximum 2.1 degree C and minimum 0.7 degree C temperature today.
The spokesman has predicted more snow and rains tomorrow but weather will improve from Sunday. The fresh snowfall led to drop in the temperatures across the region.
Srinagar recorded 3.6 degree Celsius, which is 10 degree Celsius below normal while night temperature dropped to minus 0.1 degree Celsius, Qazigund recorded a maximum of 3.0 degree Celsius and minimum of 0.4 degree Celsius, Pahalgam a maximum of 1.8 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 0.6 degree Celsius, Kupwara a maximum of 8.3 degree Celsius and minimum of 0.4 degree Celsius, Gulmarg recorded a maximum of 0.4 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 5.0 degree Celsius, Leh a maximum temp of 6.4 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 7.8 degree Celsius while Kargil recorded a maximum of 4.6 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 5.2 degree Celsius.
Jammu recorded a rainfall of 9.3 mm today since 8.30 am up to 5.30 pm, Banihal 30.8 mm, Batote 18.4 mm, Katra 15.4 mm and Bhaderwah 19.0 mm rainfall. A heavy rainfall took place at many places during last night across the region.
The Jammu city witnessed water logging at many places while rivers and nallas were swollen with flood in the region. However, no loss of life was reported from any place. The attendance in office and schools also remained thin today. Due to thunderstorm and lightning the electric appliances of at least dozen houses and some strutres were damaged in Lower Gadi Garh area of Jammu.
In Doda and Kishtwar districts, the schools have been closed for two days by the Administration in view of bad weather and snowfall.
The helicopter service to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine from Katra base camp also remained suspended today in view of the bad weather but the pilgrimage continued on both the tracks smoothly despite rain.
Meanwhile, getting no respite from the intense cold wave which swept entire Chenab region since last four days followed by heavy snowfall, district administration was forced to close all the educational institutions for second day on Friday in Doda and Kishtwar districts.
While giving some relief to the commuters and stranded passengers of twin districts Doda and Kishtwar of Chenab region, administration has decided to allow Light Motor Vehicles (LMV) through Cheneni-Nashri tunnel from Thursday evening. However, Administration has requested the people not to venture on the roads during the ongoing hostile weather conditions.
“Due to the increasing hostility of the weather and after receiving advisory from the MeT Department that bad weather will continue till March 12, we have decided to close all the educational institutions for today as well. We will review the situation later in the day and accordingly a decision will be taken for next two days,” Deputy Commissioner Doda Bhupinder Kumar said.
“Although Batote-Kishtwar highway connecting twin districts has been cleared for traffic but passengers have got stranded at Patni Top. Considering the same Nashri-Cheneni tunnel has been opened for traffic on trial basis, thereby providing relief to the commuters of Doda and Kishtwar simultaneously,” the DC said.
Till 12 noon today, maximum snowfall of 7 inches was recorded in Bhaderwah town followed by Gundna 5 inches, Badi Marmat 4.5 inches, Manjmi Dessa 4.5 inches, Kastigarh 3.5 inches, Gandoh and Chiralla 3 inches and Kahara 2 inches.
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