10 rescued from Sinthan Pass
Many areas face massive power crisis
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Nov 16: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with rest of the country, was restored this afternoon, after snow clearance in Jawahar Tunnel area and landslides at several places in Ramban sector, while higher reaches in Kashmir including Gulmarg and parts of Jammu region had fresh snowfall today.
With fresh heavy snowfall at high altitude areas, the Mughal Road and Srinagar-Leh Highway remained closed for the third consecutive day today, while plains of Jammu and other parts were lashed by rains since Sunday.
Official sources said that the snowfall started around Jawahar Tunnel, the gateway to the Kashmir valley, late Sunday evening and continued intermittently forcing authorities to suspend the traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway due to slippery conditions of the road late last evening. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) which is maintaining the road stretch between Zig-Banihal, including the Jawahar Tunnel area, pressed its men and machines to clear the road.
The highway was also blocked due to falling of boulders at Panthyal , Seri and two other places between Ramban and Banihal during last night. The highway was however, restored this afternoon. After road clearance, the vehicles from Qazigund and Lower Munda side were allowed to move towards Jammu, a senior Traffic Police official said.
The official said Mughal Road, connecting the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district, remained closed for the third day in view of heavy snowfall in Peer Ki Gali and adjoining areas. The snow clearance operation was launched later in the day after weather improved, he said.
Reports of snowfall from high altitude areas were received from Ramban, Doda-Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri and Natha Top in Udhampur districts, while the plains including Jammu city were lashed by rains till early today, ending over two-month-long dry spell in the region. Seoj Dhar, Kailash Kund area of Doda and Sinthan Top in Kishtwar received heavy snowfall.
Army and Police team rescued 10 persons including two women and a child trapped in heavy snowfall in Sinthan Pass area of Chatroo in Kishtwar today. They were on way to Chingam from the Snow- clad Pass. The rescue team walked on foot for five hours to reach them during night and brought them down to the camp where they were provided food and shelter by the jawans.
A Meteorological Department official said the highest 37.4 mm of rainfall was recorded in Banihal during the past 24 hours ending 8.30 am today, followed by 35 mm in Katra town, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
Jammu city recorded 26.6 mm rainfall during the same period, while the highway town of Batote recorded 33.6 mm of rainfall.
He said Banihal was the coldest recorded place in Jammu region with a low of 0.2 degree Celsius, while Katra recorded a minimum of 9.2 degree Celsius and Jammu 12.6 degree Celsius temperature today.
The power supply which was snapped in entire Jammu region at around 2 pm yesterday could not be restored even in many area till this evening. In some areas of Jammu city, the PDD failed to restore power supply till this morning. Several reports of power failure for over 24 hours were received from parts of Udhampur, Samba, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda areas. The rural areas were worst hit where no initiative was taken to restore power on war footing. Even Samba and Reasi towns were without power for the whole night.
Meanwhile, higher reaches of Kashmir including Gulmarg, had fresh snowfall today even as plains received rainfall with Kupwara district recording highest downpour. The Administration issued avalanche warning in parts of Valley today.
Authorities issued avalanche warning in four districts of Kashmir as the higher reaches received moderate to heavy snowfall. The avalanche warning has been issued in Kupwara, Bandipore, Baramulla and Ganderbal districts.
A medium danger avalanche warning has been issued for the higher reaches of Kupwara and Bandipora districts, a low danger avalanche warning has been issued for the higher reaches of Ganderbal and Baramulla districts.
The warning was issued in view of snowfall which started on Saturday and continued till today morning.
According to the officials, this is the season’s first major snowfall in the famous ski- resort of Gulmarg in Baramulla district and the tourist resort of Sonamarg in Ganderbal.
Gulmarg received 19 cm of snow in the last 24 hours, while Pahalgam got light snowfall.
Gurez, Zojila Pass on the Srinagar-Leh Highway and Drass in Ladakh also received snowfall.
Due to the snowfall, the authorities closed the Srinagar-Leh road on Saturday.
Majority of the areas in the plains of the Kashmir valley received rains, bringing down the temperature. Srinagar recorded 3.7mm of rainfall in last 24 hours upto 0830 hours while as it recorded night temperature of 2.3 degree Celsius.
Qazigund, received rainfall of 16.2mm, Pahalgam 15.0mm (1cm snow), Kupwara 34.4mm, Kokernag 8.2mm, Konibal 5.5mm, Anantnag 16.2mm, Bandipora 1mm, Budgam 2mm while Gulmarg recorded rain or snow equivalent to30.6mm. There was fresh snowfall of 19cm (6.3 inches) of fresh snowfall at Gulmarg in last 24 hours.
A Meteorological Department official said that mercury plunged to minus 0.2 degree Celsius in Kupwara while Gulmarg remained coldest place in the entire J&K as it recorded night temperature of minus 3.0 degree Celsius.
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