NH closed, flights cancelled as heavy rains, snow wreak havoc
Fayaz Bukhari/
Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Feb 7: Continuous rain and heavy snowfall besides landslides at many places have created havoc across the State, leading to closure of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and many other roads while an avalanche struck Jawahar Tunnel’s north portal this evening wherein, at least a dozen policemen were said to have been trapped.
Air-traffic to Kashmir remained suspended throughout the day today in view of snowfall and poor visibility while 13 flights at Jammu Airport were cancelled due to bad weather and heavy snowfall in Kashmir. The chopper service to Mata Vaishnodevi from Katra base camp also remained suspended today due to snowfall, rain and bad weather.
Eight policemen and two civilians have gone missing after a snow avalanche struck a Post at Jawahar Tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu highway this evening. The North portal of the tunnel was blocked by the avalanche.
A massive snow avalanche hit the police post at Jawahar Tunnel in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district and eight cops were among 10 persons who were buried under it while as many had a miraculous escape.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kulgam, Harmeet Singh said that 20 persons, 18 of them policemen were present in the police post. “Ten persons, 8 of them policemen are believed to be trapped under the avalanche police post at Jawahar tunnel while as many are safe,” he added.
Two persons are from Fire and Emergency Department, two dog handlers who handle crime cases, two civilians who are accused in some cases and four cops were believed to be trapped under the avalanche. The local police, CRPF and SDRF launched a rescue operation to trace the missing.
One person was killed in avalanche and two others were rescued from Kokernag area while another avalanche hit nine houses and a Government School in Mohu-Mangit area of Pir Panchal in Ramban district this evening. Many villagers had narrow escape whereas, some were rescued by the neighbours and provided shelter. Their belongings were buried under the avalanche. At least 300 persons were rescued from avalanche prone areas across Kashmir today.
Power and water supply to many snow bound areas in Kashmir and parts of Jammu division including Chenab belt of erstwhile Doda has been snapped while, Udhampur-Batote-Doda- Kishtwar and Bhaderwah roads were closed due to landslides and snowfall. Many rivers and nallahs in the region were flooded due to heavy rain but they were flowing below danger mark.
IGP Traffic, Alok Kumar said that North and South portals of Jawahar Tunnel were covered after avalanche on both the sides this evening and a Police Post has also come under avalanche. More than a dozen cops were said to have been trapped at north side of the tunnel.
Kumar said fresh land slides in Nashri area of Batote and at least at a dozen areas between Ramban and Banihal including Khooni Nallah, the National Highway continued to be closed on the third day today. He said there was about 4-5 feet snow in Jawahar Tunnel area and the restoration work will be launched only after weather improves. He said due to inclement weather , the restoration work on the highway could not be launched today.
The IGP further said that there was heavy snow in Batote and Patnitop ranging from 2 to 2.5 ft and 2-3 ft at Bhaderwah. Moreover, due to landslides at two-three places between Batote and Doda, Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road also remained closed. He added that most of the inter-district roads in Chenab belt were closed.
Seven houses in remote Mahu area and two houses and a Govt Primary School building at Magit village of Khari tehsil on Pir Panchal, in Ramban district were hit by avalanche causing extensive damage to public property. While all the villagers were said to be safe, their belongings were buried under the avalanche.
The villagers whose houses have been damaged were-Bashir Ahmed, Mohd Yousuf, Mohd Sharief, Mohd Abdullah and Abdul Rehaman, all sons of Ghulam Rasool Naik, residents of Mohu, Zahoor Ahmed and Lassu, residents of Mohu village, Misra Begum wife of Jamal Din and Mohd Iqbal, both residents of Mangit and a Govt primary school building at Mangit. Over 64 family members were rescued and provided shelter and food by the other villagers. The road to the area is lying closed since January 23 after snowfall.
Unprecedented snowfall threw life out of gear in the Valley with Srinagar Airport and movement of traffic in entire Valley including Srinagar city was affected due to slippery road conditions and besides this majority of the areas of the Valley have been plunged into darkness due to power failure.
One person was killed while two others were rescued and one more is still trapped after an avalanche struck Sunbradi area of Kokernag in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district this evening.
The avalanche hit residential house of Bashir Ahmad Qureshi, son of Noor Mohammad Qureshi at Sunbradi at Sunbradi, resulting in on the spot death of a person identified as Bashir Ahmad whose body was recovered while as two more persons were rescued by the local volunteers and police. One person is still trapped under the snow and efforts are on to retrieve him.
A rooftop of a Masjid was damaged after it collapsed due to snowfall at Khamoh, Rafiabad in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
At Heewan area of Boniyar, Baramulla, house of Wahab Najar also got damaged after it collapsed due to snowfall. A cowshed of Haleema Begium at Khas Dajan Boniyar also collapsed and suffered damage.
A houseboat “Meenar” of Mushtaq Raga, son of Mohammad Sultan was also damaged after it collapsed at Chinar Bagh in Dalgate, Srinagar due to snowfall.
At least 100 members of 18 families were trapped in Galibal area of Rafiabad in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district after several hutments came under avalanche in the area today.
Senior Superintendent of Police Sopore, Javed Iqbal, said that the area is inaccessible due to heavy snowfall and efforts are on to clear the road. He, however, said that the area is far off and today one of their children had fallen ill and they approached the administration. The baby was brought to the nearer medical facility and later taken back to the area.
“Rescue teams comprising SDRF personnel have been kept at standby besides assistance from the army will also be sought. But these people who are there with their cattle said that they are safe and are not ready to move out of the area. We will try to reach there tomorrow and see if they need any assistance,” he added.
The district administration in Ganderbal today shifted around 124 members of 22 families from an avalanche-prone area to safer locations following heavy snowfall in Gund area of the district. The families were shifted from Khan Mohalla, Ramwari in Gund tehsil of Kangan which is avalanche prone area. They have been accommodated in Government Middle School, Ramwari Gund and other safer places.
Seven families from an avalanche-prone village in Khag area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district were rescued by the Police and district administration today. Seven families comprising 28 members including women and children were accommodated at Police Station Khag after they were rescued from Kokarbagh village. They were provided all the logistics and eatables.
Kashmir valley received heaviest snowfall of the season today as it is contineously snowing for last two days. Qazigund in South Kashmir experienced 3 feet of snow, Anantnag 2 feet, Pahalgam 4 feet, Kulgam 3 feet, Kokernag 2 feet, Damhal 3 feet, Keller 3-4 feet, Shadab Karewa 3 feet, Sedow 4-5 feet, Heerpora 4-5 feet, Reshnagri 3-3.5 feet, Shermal 2 feeet, Imam Sahab 2 feet, Zainepora 1.5 feet, Waltengoo Nad 5 feet, Kund 4 feet, Badjihalan 5 feet, Nandimarg 4.5 feet, DH Pora 4 feet, DK Marg 5 feet, Dandward 5 feet, Manzgam 4 feet and Aharbal 5 feet.
In Budgam district of Central Kashmir, Yousmarg received 3 feet of snowfall, Pakherpora 2 feet, Charisharief 1.5 feet, Chadoora 6 inches, B. K. Pora 3 inches, Khansahib 1.5 feet, Doodpathri 4 feet, Khag 3 feet, Beerwa one feet, Magam 6 inches and Budgam 6 inches.
In North Kashmir Gulmarg received over 5 feet snowfall for last two days, Tangmarg 3 feet, Chandusa 3 feet, Baramulla 1.5 feet, Keran one feet, Sadnatop 4 feet, Furkiya top 4 feet, Z -Gali 2 feet, Machil one feet, Kupwara town one feet, Razdantop 2 feet, Dawar Gurez 1.5 feet, Kanzalwan Gurez 2 feet and Bandipora 10 inches.
The snow threw life out of gear in Kashmir as it came to standstill due to continuous closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway as well as the air traffic to and from Srinagar remained shut.
The Srinagar airport was shut today due to continuous snowfall and low visibility. No flights landed or took off from the Airport today leading to stranding of hundreds of passengers. They appealed for additional flights as thousands of people are stranded in Srinagar, Delhi, Jammu, Amritsar, Chandigarh due to cancellation of flights.
The locals especially from Srinagar areas said the authorities concerned have utterly failed to execute the road clearance work in their areas. The snow on the roads had triggered slippery conditions of the roads here due to which the commuters had to face tremendous hardships, who later appealed officials concerned to clear the roads so that they (commuters) could heave a sigh of relief.
The snowfall led to major power break down across Kashmir valley plunging majority of the Valley in darkness. People from majority of the areas said that there is no electricity their areas causing immense hardships to them.
Chief Engineer Power Development, Qazi Hashmat, said that PDD is trying to restore the power supply and by afternoon electricity was restored to majority of the areas in Valley except district Baramulla and Kulgam, Shopian, Budgam, Kupwara where there has been heavy snowfall. He, however, said that due to continuous snowfall there are minor faults in HT and LT lines and department is on it to restore the power. He said that there is no major damage to any transmission line. He hoped that the power to the majority of the areas in the Valley will be restored by tomorrow afternoon if weather improves.
At least three transmission towers that came up recently in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district suffered damage due to fresh snowfall. Deputy commissioner Bandipora, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary in a tweet said: “One under construction tower of BBTL collapsed at Ajas. Chief Engineer System and Operation wing enquiring into it.”
The weatherman here predicted continuous snowfall till Friday afternoon, saying that the weather across the Valley would improve from Friday afternoon.
Director MeT, Sonum Lotus, said that the moderate snowfall was experienced in most parts of the Valley till Thursday afternoon. “The higher reaches of the Valley including Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Pir Panchal, Sonamarg and others received moderate to heavy snowfall since last night,” he said.
Authorities today issued high to medium danger avalanche warning for the hills of Jammu and Kashmir. The people in the avalanche prone areas have been asked not to venture out in these areas.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan said that the situation is under control while as men and machinery has already been pressed to clear the snow and ensure every basic facility to the people of Kashmir.
The road clearance work has already been started but at some places, the heavy snowfall is occurring, therefore halting the work, he said, adding that all the roads will be cleared shortly and other facilities will be provided to the people soon.
“I am personally monitoring the situation and am reviewing it after every hour,” he said, adding that the priority is to ensure proper and adequate facilities to the people. “We are working since this morning. Electricity and other facilities will be restored soon,” he said.
Divisional Commissioner ordered rationing of fuel-petrol, diesel and LPG-in view of the closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway.
In an order issued here, he directed all Deputy Commissioner of Kashmir to ensure that no Petrol pump will issue more than 3 liters of Petrol per vehicle per day. “In view of the fast depletion of petrol products i.e. MS & HSD and LPG, it is felt expedient to implement the rationing, with respect to the distribution of these products, till such time the supplying position Improves after road opening,” the order read. Similarly, it said, with respect to diesel they will not Issue more than 10 litres to the Commercial vehicles per day.
“Besides, IOC, HP and BP will restrict the supply of petrol, diesel to petrol pumps to 1000 litres per day and will reserve separate quota for Govt. vehicles, ambulances, water tankers, snow clearance machines etc,” the order said.
The Divisional Commissioner asked the Deputy Commissioners to also ensure that rationing is effectively carried out on ground and FCS&CA officials in each district shall give position of distribution and sales by Companies and Petrol pumps respectively on day to day basis to the Deputy Commissioners and this office.
Reports from Bhaderwah said that the weather on Wednesday improved after heavy snowfall in Bhadarwah and higher reaches of entire Chenab belt, which has thrown life out of gear in the entire area. All the communication links, electricity supply in most of the areas remained snapped for 3rd consecutive day.
There is almost a breakdown of electricity in majority of areas and people are facing drinking water scarcity as well. From 2 to 4 feet snow was recorded in different areas of Bhaderwah valley and Bhalessa in district Doda as Chattar Gala on Bhadarwah-Basohli highway and Padri Gali on Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road recorded 5 feet snow, while Bhadarwah town received 2 feet of snow, Kota Top 2.5 feet, Dhadhkai 2.5 feet Khanni Top 2.5 feet.
After long gap Doda town also received 3 inches of snowfall, Ramban 2 inches, followed by 4 inches of snow at Kishtwar town. Chenani, Kud, Man Talai, Lati, Dudu, Basantgarh, Bani, Loang, Sarthal, Pancheri, Sanasar, Gool, Mahore, Budhal, Mandi, Loran and Sawjian areas of Jammu also received good snowfall.
About 2 to 2.5 ft snowfall has been reported at Patnitop, 3 ft at Natha Top, Sansar and about 2 ft at Lati and Dudu Basantagrh area of Udhampur today.
A driver and a passenger were injured when a shooting stone hit a bus No. JK02AH/7187 near Assar on Batote-Doda road today. The wind screen of the bus was smashed. A poultry farm belonging to one Ved Parkash at Tolwal village in Kashtigarh area of Doda collapsed due to snow fall. The family members residing within the complex however, escaped unhurt.
Another house of one Mohd Muqeem Rishu was damaged in snowfall at Twon village in Doda. Kucha house of one Manzoor Hussain, son of Late Nazir Hussain, resident of Dhanidhar in Rajouri partially collapsed due to rain last night. No one was hurt in the incident.
Trikuta hills of Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine also received fresh snow fall while helicopter service to Bhawan from Katra base camp remained suspended today. Yatra however, continued despite rain and snowfall.
Amidst heavy rain in Jammu during last night and through out the day today, the water logging in Jammu city affected the smooth movement of vehicular traffic. At many crossings and Canal and Talab Tillo road, 2-3 feet water was witnessed. Jammu recorded around 32.6 mm rainfall till this afternoon and Udhampur 42 mm.
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