NH closed after landslides at Digdol, snow at Tunnel; 2500 vehicles stranded

Srinagar receives fresh snowfall on Monday. —Excelsior/Shakeel
Srinagar receives fresh snowfall on Monday. —Excelsior/Shakeel

Rain, fresh snowfall lash J&K

Gopal Sharma/ Fayaz Bukhari

JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Jan 6: Kashmir valley and many hilly areas of Jammu region received fresh snowfall today leading to drop in the day temperature while, Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was again closed after fresh landslides at Digdol in Ramban area and heavy snow at Jawahar Tunnel this evening.
People in Kashmir today woke up to a thin blanket of snow which continued throughout the day. Gulmarg recieved six inch of fresh snowfall, Tangmarg 4 inches, Razdhan Top one feet, Gurez 4 inches, Tulail six inches, Ismarg six inches, Z-Gali one feet, Furkiyan Top one feet, Sadna Top 5 inches, Pahalgam 5 inches and Qazigund 7 inches.
Trikua hills of Katra Mata Vaishnodevi, Patnitop, Natha Top, Dudu, Latti and Bhaderwah tourist resorts in Jammu region also witnessed fresh snowfall this afternoon. Rajouri-Surankote and Poonch road was also closed due to fresh snowfall at Dera Gali and Thannamandi areas.
Massive landslides at Digdol again and the snowfall at Pir Panchal forced the authorities to close Srinagar-Jammu National Highway at around 4.30 pm. Nearly 10 inch snowfall was reported near Jawahar Tunnel while the snowfall was still going on.
SSP Traffic, National Highway J S Johar said that due to fresh landslide at Digdol, the highway was agin blocked. Moreover, snowfall and slippery road conditions at Jawahar Tunnel also led to the closure of highway. He said around 2500 vehicles were stranded in Udhampur Bypass and Dhar Road besides Nagrota area opf Jammu.
He said said around 1300 light mortar vehicles crossed Jawahar Tunnel towards Kashmir till 4:30 p.m and over 300 vehicles were stranded in Banihal area due to slippery road conditions at Jawahar Tunnel. He said many diesel/petrol/ LPG tankers and vehicles carrying essential supplies were cleared for Kashmir before the closure of highway today.
A Meteorological Department official said that light snowfall and rains would continue for next 24 hours across Kashmir and parts of Jammu. He added that the snowfall led to drop in the day temperature but rise in night temperature.
Srinagar recorded a minimum of minus 0.8 degree Celsius and maximum of 1.6 degrees Celsius; Gulmarg, the world famous ski resort, recorded minimum of minus 2.0 degree Celsius and maximum of minus 8.0 degree Celsius; Pahalgam registered minimum of minus 3.0 degree Celsius and maximum of minus 1.0 degree Celsius while Qazigund, the gateway of Kashmir, had minimum of minus 1.8 degree Celsius and maximum of 1.4 degree Celsius today.
He further said that winter capital city of Jammu recorded a maximum of 12.6 degree Celsius and minimum of 8.7 degree Celsius, Banihal maximum of 3.6 degree Celsius and minimum 1.4 deg C, Batote maximum 4.6 deg C and minimum 1.2 deg C, holy township of Katra recorded maximum of 10.8 degree Celsius and minimum of 8.0 degree Celsius while tourist resort Bhaderwah regisrtered maximum of 5.4 degree Celsius and minimum of 0.9 degree Celsius temperature.
Leh recorded maximum of 0.0 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 10.4 degree Celsius while Drass maximum minus 11.5 degree Celsius and minimum minus 12.9 degree Celsius.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai Kalan (the Great Cold), the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably. It began on December 21 and ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir.
Reports from Poonch said that due to snowfall, Mandi Loran and Mandi-Sawjian roads were closed while Bafliaz-Thannamandi road was also blocked due to fresh snowfall this afternoon. Latti-Dudu and Basantgarh road besides several roads on Ramban, Bhaderwah, Doda and Kishtwar area have been closed, while power supply to many snow bound areas was snapped.
Reports from Kathua said that Basohli-Bani road has also been closed due to snow and fresh landslides ahead of Magiar. The movement of vehicles has been stalled since this afternoon. The power supply to many areas of Bani, Loang, Duggan, Loai Malhar and Machhedi area has been affected. Mahore-Gool road was also blocked this afternoon due to heavy snowfall at Daggan Top.
Due to rain, fresh snowfall at Trikuta Hills, the chopper service was suspended for several hours today, while on foot, the yatra continued smoothly. Battery car service was also suspended after snowfall. With the rain and snowfall the tempretaure has shown significant dop in temperature.

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