Gopal Sharma/
Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Mar 8: Massive rain, snowfall at higher reaches of Jammu and entire Kashmir region has created havoc while fresh landslides again blocked Jammu-Srinagar and Batote- Doda-Kishtwar highway last night whereas, hail-storm in parts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts today caused extensive damage to the crops.
Over 800 passenger vehicles and load carriers have been stranded at Udhampur and Dhar Road-Manwal while nearly 1200 vehicles between Qazigund and Lower Munda. The chopper service to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine from Katra base camp remained suspended throughout the day today due to continuous rain and bad weather but Yatra continued despite rains. The higher reaches of Trikuta hills, Patnitop, Bhaderwah, Banihal and many parts of Poonch, Doda, Mahore and Basantgarh in Udhampur experienced fresh snowfall.
The air traffic to Srinagar was suspended due to heavy snowfall at the airport while Kashmir Divisional Administration issued fresh avalanche warnings for the hilly area of Valley.
IGP Traffic, Muneer Khan told the Excelsior that due to fresh landslides at Kheri, Samroli near Udhampur and Gangroo, Maggarkote, Seri, Panthal, Singni, Digdole and Nashri in Ramban area and heavy snowfall near Jawahar Tunnel, National Highway was closed last night. He said there was no movement of traffic from Lower Munda onwards towards Jammu since early morning and over 1200 vehicles are said to be stranded in Lower Munda and Qazigund areas. He said yesterday 1000 trucks and 2400 passenger vehicles crossed over to Valley from Jammu side.
Khan disclosed that over 1.5 ft snow has been accumulated in Jawahar Tunnel area and there was no possibility of road clearance even tomorrow if the rain continued. The rain hampered the road clearance work at many places today. He said the traffic will be allowed from Srinagar to Jammu tomarrow if the weather condition improved.
The Director Meteorological Department, Srinagar, Sonam Lotus, told the Excelsior that heavy snowfall was caused by western disturbances over the region. He said that around 4 inches snow has accumulated in Srinagar since morning and the freak weather will continue till tomorrow noon. Lotus said that the weather will improve from tomorrow afternoon and there will be dry weather with rains at isolated places at a few places for next one week from Tuesday.
The snowfall started last evening across Kashmir valley and so far 4 inches of snow have accumulated in Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore, Budgam, Anantnag and Pulwama and it was snowing till late night. The snowfall led to disruption of the normal life with snow causing slippery road conditions hampering the smooth movement of traffic.
The snowfall also caused water logging at several places especially in the low lying areas of Srinagar. People are facing immense problems due to water logging. A resident of Umarabad in Zainakote said that they are using long boots to cross the water logged roads while majority of the family members stay indoors.
Several families in village Doogam in Pulwama have fled their homes after rising waters from the nearby Romosho stream entered several houses today.
There was panic in the village when water entered several homes in Doogam village. The water level in the river is increasing causing threat to village.
The upper reaches of Kashmir valley received over one ft snowfall closing the hilly roads. Gulmarg received 1.6 ft, Kondori 2.6 ft, Afarwat 3 ft, Tangdar 1 ft, Sadna Top 1.6 ft and Z Gali 1.6 feet of snowfall.
Majority of the border roads have got closed due to heavy snowfall. Kupwara-Tanghdar is closed for past over one week due to heavy snowfall in Sadna pass area leading to crisis of essential commodities in the area. Reports reaching here said that there is crisis of vegetables, milk, fruit and various other items.
The Srinagar Airport also remained closed today, barring a State air craft with Ministers landing in the morning. No flight operated from Srinagar airport today due to continuous snowfall.
Meanwhile, the authorities issued avalanche warning in higher reaches of Kashmir valley. The avalanche warning has been issued for Chowkibal, Tanghdar, Keran, Machil and Gurez areas in Kashmir valley and Banihal area on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, South of Pir Panjal range.
The rain and snowfall have caused extensive damage to power infrastructure, snapping electricity supply to many areas across the State. At Ari in Mendhar due to landslides, a big electric transformer was buried and poles uprooted. Power supply to many areas of Banihal and Ramban has also been snapped.
A 25-year-old Jamsheed Ahmed, son of Ghulam Mohammed, resident of Neel village in Banihal died due to thunder- storm and lightning today. He was returning to his village when a powerful beam from the sky hit him, resulting in his on spot death.
Reports from Udhampur said that at Kheri, just 4 kms ahead of the town on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, massive landslides again blocked the National Highway. About 200 meter area of the highway has been washed away. There is mud and slush in the area and the BRO men were facing uphill task to clear the highway at this point amidst continuous rain. At two more places between Udhampur and Chenani, near Moud and Draunthal, landslides and boulders have created blockades. At Raggi Nalla, Kauda Pani and another point about 5-6 kms ahead of Batote on Doda-Kishtwar road, at least half a dozen landslides have created blockades. A large number of vehicles have been stranded on this highway as well.
About half a dozen Doda, Kishtwar bound marriage parties from Jammu got struck at Kheri near Udhampur. The bride-grooms along with Baratis had to wait for hours together near Seri. Later, half a dozen members with bridegroom crossed slide area on foot and then hired another vehicle to reach at destination. But many of them are said to be stranded ahead of Batote. Majority of the marriage party members had to return homes in Jammu.
Over a dozen link roads in Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar and Bhaderwah have been closed for the last 5-6 days due to rains and landslides. In Udhampur, Reasi and Poonch districts also several link roads have been closed due to rains and landslides. Mandi-Loran, Mandi-Saujian, and Surankote-Bafliaz-Thannamandi roads were also closed due to heavy snowfall and fresh slides. Two kutcha houses at Loran and one in Saujian area collapsed due to rains today but no loss of life was reported.
Meanwhile, Chief Scientist SKUAST- Jammu, Dr B C Sharma disclosed that due to western disturbances Jammu experienced a record rainfall during last one month. He said the crops of mustard oil and pulses have also suffered damage due to hail-storm in parts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua today. The water logging in the plain areas of Jammu and Kathua belt will also cause damage to the wheat crop.
He said during the month of February the normal rainfall in Jammu should be around 55 mm but during February (2015) Jammu experienced more than double (118 mm) rainfall. It is 116 % departure from the normal. Between February 15 to March 3, 2015, Jammu recorded a highest (171.9 mm) rainfall in last more than decade. During February, Bhaderwah recorded 278.4 mm rainfall while normally it should be 178.9 mm. Banihal recorded 235.6 mm rainfall while normally it should be 212 mm. Katra recorded 207.7 mm while normal range of rainfall during February is 139.7 mm. He said the famers should not allow water logging in the fields to save their crops as it prevents the metabolic activity in the plants.
A Met spokesman said that Jammu recorded 10.8 mm rainfall while Srinagar 14.0 mm up to 5.30 pm today. He said rain and snowfall at many parts of J&K would continue in next 24 hours and weather may improve from late Monday evening or Tuesday onwards. He said there has been sharp fall in the temperature in Jammu during last 48 hours.
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