Fayaz Bukhari/ Nishikant Khajuria
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Dec 11: Even as heavy rains in plain areas and snowfall in upper reaches across Jammu & Kashmir ended prolonged dry spell in the State, the bad weather led to two deaths and injuries to three others in separate incidents while Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and Mughal Road were closed for vehicular traffic.
The incessant rains since wee hours and heavy snowfall in the hills drastically dipped the temperature below normal while new battery car track to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine from Adh-Kunwari was closed this evening as precautionary measure though the pilgrimage remained through on old track.
The Meteorological Department has forecast rains and light snowfall in the plains and snow in the hills for next 24 hours while some places in Kashmir valley might get a mix of both.
An Army porter slipped to death near Kilshey in Tulail tehsil of Gurez Valley in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district today after the area witnessed heavy snowfall. An official said that Ghulam Qadir Khan, 29, son of Ghulam Rasool Khan, a resident of Kilshey village, slipped to death while he was on way to Army camp located nearby. He was accompanied by three colleagues who escaped unhurt.
Police reports said that one Mohd Ayaub, son of Mohd Akram of Hauusan in Chassana area of Reasi district came under landslide when he was on way to home this morning and reportedly died on the spot.
In a separate incident at Shikari in Chassana, one bridegroom was critically injured when a shooting stone hit on his head while returning home after solemnizing marriage. The victim, namely Nirmal Singh son of Lal Singh of Sugga Chassana, has been shifted to GMC Hospital Jammu in view of his serious condition.
A child and a young woman were injured when huge shooting stone fell on passenger vehicle Tavera (JK19- 1435) at Kunchi Padi Ukhral near Ramban. The injured passengers, identified as Ashfaq Ahmed (10), son of Nazir Ahmed of Neel and Shakeena Begum (40) wife of Gulam Mohd of Neel, were shifted to PHC Ukhral and then referred to District Hospital Ramban.
The plains and hilly areas of the State witnessed light to moderate rains during the day while the higher reaches had fresh snowfall resulting in closure of Mughal Road and Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Nearly one feet snow had accumulated this evening at Pir Ki Gali (PKG) along the Mughal Road forcing authorities to close the Mughal Road for traffic. It was snowing in Jawahar Tunnel area this evening making road slippery forcing the authorities to close down the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for traffic from 5 pm onwards.
“Apart from shooting stones at Panthial and near Karol bridge it was snowing heavily in areas around Jawahar Tunnel and we closed the highway for traffic this evening at around 5 p.m”, Inspector General of Traffic Police, Jagjeet Kumar told Excelsior. He said that they cleared the vehicles between Qazigund and Banihal before closing the highway for traffic.
The Srinagar-Leh highway was closed for traffic yesterday only. Around 14 inch snow had accumulated in Sonamarg this evening while in Zojila it was snowing heavily where over 2 feet snow had already accumulated. In Gagangheer, 7 inches snow had accumulated.
Police, Administration and locals managed to get the vehicles from Sonamarg cleared as the tourist place is being closed for the winter due to heavy snowfall in Gaghangheer.
Around one feet of snow had accumulated in Pahalgam in South Kashmir and Jawahar Tunnel had 2-3 inches of snow accumulation. Light snowfall was recorded in Kellar, Shopian and upper reaches of Tral.
In North Kashmir 6-7 inches snow had accumulated in Gulmarg tourist resort while in Afarwat over one feet of snow had accumulated. Around one feet of snow had accumulated in Gurez and it was snowing in the upper reaches of North Kashmir.
Snowfall was also reported from plains of Valley. However, in Srinagar it rained throughout the day.
The rains and snowfall led to drop in the day temperature across Valley. Srinagar recorded the minimum temperature of 3.1 degrees Celsius, while day temperate settled at 5 degree Celsius, 5 degree below normal.
Qazigund in South Kashmir recorded a low of 4 degree Celsius while day temperate settled at 4.7 degree Celsius which is six degree below normal. Kokernag in South Kashmir recorded at low of 3.1 degree Celsius while day temperate was 5.6 degree Celsius, three degrees below normal. Kupwara in North Kashmir recorded at low of 1.9 degree Celsius while day temperate was 4.5 degree Celsius which is 6 degree below normal. Gulmarg recorded a low of 2.4 degree Celsius, while the day temperature of the ski resort settled at minus 1.3 degree Celsius. Pahalgam registered the minimum of 1.5 degree Celsius, while day temperature of the place was 2.5 degree Celsius.
Leh recorded a minimum of minus 3.7 degree Celsius while the day temperature of the place settled at 10.1 degree Celsius. Kargil recorded at low of 0.1 degree Celsius while day temperate settled at 6 degree Celsius.
The incessant rain since 4 am in the wee hours at Jammu dipped the temperature more than 8 degree Celsius from the normal.
A total of 24 MM rainfall was recorded till 5 pm while maximum temperature on Monday was registered at 14.8 degree Celsius, more than 8 degree Celsius below the normal, informed Dr Mohinder Singh, Incharge Agrometrology Section of SKUAST-Jammu.
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