Heavy rains lash Kashmir, snowfall in hills
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 8: Amid fresh snowfall at several places in the Valley, there was heavy rainfall in Southern parts of the Kashmir with authorities launching massive operations to rescue the nomads and tourists trapped in snow.
An official said that 10 people including 8 tourists were rescued from Jawahar Tunnel area in Kulgam district where their vehicles were trapped in snow. He said that these tourists from Andaman and Nicobar were travelling in a vehicle (HR55AN-9507) when it got stuck near Jawahar Tunnel in Kulgam.
The administration also rescued 30 families of nomads who were stranded along with their livestock at Margan Top in Anantnag district today.
An official said that combined effort involving 19 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF 164 Battalion, and the Civil Administration successfully rescued 30 families who were stranded along with their livestock at Margan Top in the Anantnag district today.
He said that the adverse weather conditions, including heavy rainfall in the plains and snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir, had caused the families to become trapped for the past 24 hours.
He said that the prompt response from the Army, along with the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kokernag and the civil administration, led to a swift rescue operation. Army vehicles equipped with snow chains were deployed to assist in the rescue of the families and their livestock.
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“Most of the rescued families hailed from Reasi and Pathribal. To provide additional support, 19 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) established a medical camp at the Gawran base, ensuring specialized treatment for the rescued individuals. The Civil Administration, including the Station House Officer (SHO) Larnoo, extended necessary assistance to the families at the Gawran base,” the official said.
“Medical aid for the livestock was also provided by a team of doctors from the Animal Husbandry Department. Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kokernag, in an interview with Kashmir Independent Media Service (KIMS Kashmir), reported the successful rescue of approximately 75 people and around 1500 livestock, safely bringing them down to Gawran. The rescued individuals are currently receiving medical care, food, shelter, and other necessary support from the Administration, Police, Army, CRPF, and other involved parties,” the official added.
There were heavy rains in Kashmir especially south of Srinagar with higher reaches of Kulgam, Tulail Gurez, Gulmarg and others experienced fresh snowfall since last evening.
Director MeT, Sonum Lotus said that there would be a significant improvement in the weather conditions from tomorrow, but stated that as per the forecast the weather would remain mainly dry, but the rains and thunderstorm in the late afternoon or evening cannot be ruled out at some places.
“From May 10-15, the weather would remain mainly dry while the temperature would also go up as the warmer days are expected from May 10 onwards,” he said.
In Srinagar, the day temperature settled at 13.6 degree Celsius, which is 10.0 degree Celsius below normal. The mercury settled at 2.2 degree Celsius in Gulmarg, which is 12.0 degree Celsius below normal while Pahalgam recorded a maximum temperature of 8.1 degree Celsius, which is 12.1 degree Celsius below normal. Qazigund, Kokernag, Kupwara also recorded below normal temperature today.
Srinagar recorded a low of 6.7°C against 6.5°C the previous night. Qazigund recorded a low of 4.0°C against 5.2°C the previous night and it was below normal by 5.2°C for the town.
Pahalgam, recorded a low of 2.6°C against 2.1°C the previous night and it was 2.9°C below normal for the tourist resort.
Kokernag recorded a low of 2.2°C against 4.2°C the previous night and it was 7.0°C below normal for the place.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 0.4°C against 0.4°C the previous night and it was 5.6°C below normal for the skiing resort.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at 5.2°C against 6.3°C as the previous night and it was 4.1°C below normal for the town.
Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority (JKDMA) today issued an avalanche alert over higher reaches in four districts for next 24 hours.
The DMA, said that a ‘low’ danger level avalanche is likely to occur above 3000 to 3500 metres above sea level over Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Baramulla districts.
People living in these areas have been in the meantime advised to take precautions and avoid venturing in the avalanche prone areas till further orders.
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