CRPF SI among 2 killed, 100 structures damaged; 8 tourists rescued
No flight operation in Kashmir on fourth day
Fayaz Bukhari/Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Jan 6: Kashmir region continued to remain cut off from the rest of the country as surface and air traffic was suspended for the fourth consecutive day due to heavy rain, snowfall and landslides even as two persons including a CRPF Sub Inspector were killed while over 100 structures were damaged as the rain wreak havoc across J&K.
Official sources said that Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Sub Inspector identified as H C Murmu of 115 battalion was injured after a shed collapsed due to snowfall at former Hazratbal legislator Syed M Akhoon’s residence.
They said the CRPF officer deployed at Akhoon’s residence was immediately taken to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Hazratbal where doctors referred him to SKIMS where he succumbed.
An elderly woman, Rahami Begum, 81, wife of Late Mohammad Subhan Malik, died after she came under a snowslide in Trehgam village of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The woman died on the spot in Shah Mohallah locality of Trehgam after she came under a snowslide from the rooftop of her house. A lady identified as Shagufta was also injured when a residential house was damaged in Anchar area of Soura Srinagar.
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Kashmir valley especially South Kashmir had heavy snowfall today with Aharbal and DK Marg in Kulgam district witnessing over 5 feet, Kund 5 feet, Kulgam 4 feet and rest of the district between 3-4 feet, Anantnag, Bijbehara, Mattan, Aishmuqam had around 2 feet of snowfall, Pahalgam 2.5 feet, Dooru 4 feet, Kokernag 3 feet, Srigufwara 2 feet, Larnoo 3 , Shopian 4 feet, Keller 6 feet, Zainapora 4 feet, Pulwama 2.5 feet, Awantipora 2 feet, Tral 2 feet and Pampore 1.5 feet, Gulmarg 5 feet, Tangmarg 3 feet, one feet, Kandi Baramulla 2.5 feet, Boniyar 10 inches, Budgam one feet, Beerwah 2 feet, Charar-e-Sharief 3.5 feet and Khansahib 4 feet and Srinagar one feet of snow accumulation.
An official spokesman said that high danger level avalanche warning has been issued for higher reaches of Poonch, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Kulgam districts.
Similarly, medium level avalanche warning has been issued for higher reaches of Rajouri, Udhampur, Ganderbal and Reasi districts. The people living in these areas have been advised to take precautions and avoid going to the vulnerable areas and to remove snow from their rooftops to avoid loss of lives.
The low visibility and accumulation of snow at the Srinagar airport led to the cancellation of all flights today. And in fact for the last four days, no flight has landed or taken off from Srinagar Airport.
However, the Border Roads Organisation today cleared the runway at Srinagar Airport after it was closed due to heavy snowfall. There is good news for those who are stranded in Srinagar that they could fly tomorrow.
The BRO put men and machinery into work to clear the airport runway amid hectic efforts. After 72 hours of snowfall in Kashmir the BRO pressed hi-tech equipment to clear the runway from the snow.
Colonel Mukesh of BRO said: “It was made possible due to the continuous operation of the snow clearance machine on the runway to prevent the icing on the highway.”
With the improvement in the weather agencies have pressed their men and machinery to clear the highway of over a dozen land slide s between Nashri and Ramsu. Jawahar Tunnel recorded about 5 ft snowfall since Saturday. The Border Roads Organisation has intensified its snow clearance operation in the JT Axis, IG Traffic T Namgyal said.
Namgyal further said that single passage from Banihal side up to Tunnel has been cleared and work on the other side was in progress. Dozens of land slides and boulders between Udhampur and Banihal area being cleared but Samroli near Chenani has become a major problem. Massive mass of mountain blocked highway there last night and with this link to Doda-Kishtwar has also been snapped.
“No traffic was allowed on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway due to accumulation of snow and landslides at many places,” SSP Traffic National Highway J S Johar said.
He said the highway was blocked due to snow accumulation at Jawahar Tunnel and landslides/mudslides/shooting stones at Samroli, Nashri, Dalwas, Mehar, Cafeteria Morh, Marog, Panthyal and Battery Chashma.
Johar said at present Samroli slide is major issue besides JT clearance task. This slide is likely to be cleared by Thursday noon. The snow clearance operations were in full swing at JT and Lower Munda axis and efforts were on to restore movement of stranded vehicles along the 270 kilometre road, he added.
Eight people hailing from Rajasthan were rescued after their vehicles got trapped in the mudslide near Panthyal in Ramsu area of Ramban sector late last evening . These tourists were on way to Jammu from Gulmarg and were travelling in two cars. It was raining heavily in the entire area on Tuesday evening. Both the vehicles were damaged. However, they escaped unhurt. Later, they were removed to Ramban.
The Army troops rescued a pregnant woman from snowbound area of Pethawader in Handwara area and helped family in shifting this woman to nearby PHC by covering 3 kms distance through 2-3 ft snow on foot. The Unit officer responded to the dispress call given by Ghulam Ahmed Mir, father of the pregnant woman, Neema Bano.
Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority (DMA) today issued high, medium and low level avalanche warning for higher reaches of avalanche prone areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, incessant downpour threw life out of gear during the last three days in Jammu with the city on Wednesday recording 50.1 mm rainfall in a 24-hour period, its second-highest for the month of January in 20 years, a Meteorological department official said.
The rains, however, stopped on Wednesday morning, bringing some relief to the people.
“Jammu recorded 50.1 mm of rainfall during the past 24 hours. This was the second-highest in the past two decades as the city had recorded the all-time high of 81.4 mm rainfall on January 13, 2000 and 47.7 mm on January 26, 2017,” the Met official added.
The spokesperson said the minimum temperature in the city settled at 12.1 degrees Celsius, which is 4.7 notches above normal for this part of the season. Triggered by heavy rainfall, the river Tawi went into spate but it was flowing below the danger level.
Banihal town along the Jammu-Srinagar highway was recorded as the coldest place in the Jammu region at a low of 0.2 degree Celsius. The highway town witnessed 80.4 mm of rain and snow during a 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am, the official said.
Katra, the base camp for the Vaishno Devi Shrine, recorded 47.9 mm rainfall and a minimum temperature of 9.2 degrees Celsius, he said.
“Weather improving gradually, significant improvement expected from today (Wednesday) afternoon onwards but light rain or snow will occur at scattered places in the next 24 hours,” the official said, adding that there is no forecast of any major snowfall, and the weather is likely to remain mainly dry in Jammu and Kashmir till January 14.
Meanwhile, reports from Rajouri said that Kucha house of one Mohd Yousuf, resident of Syari near Kewal in Budhal tehsil was fully damaged due to heavy rain last night. However, the family members escaped unhurt. Another housie of one Zirat Gull at Samote in Kotranka was collapsed. Yet another house of Muzahir Hussain Bakerwal at Dramman in Kandi was damaged in rain.
Two Kucha houses belonging to Ambo Devi at Dalhari Gadyog, another house of Abdul Hamid at Bain Nambal besides two at Azmatabad and another at Darra village were damaged in Thannamandi area of Rajouri today. The Administration deputed Revenue officials to take assessment of the damages.
Resports from Reasi said that at least a dozen houses were partially damaged in Mahore, Arnas, Gulabgarh and Chassana area due to rains and heavy snowfall. Reports of damages have also been received from Pancheri, Dudu-Basantgarh and Ramnagar area besides Bhaderwah, Doda and Kishtwar area.
SDM Paddar, Varun Jeet Charak said that due to falling of a big boulder a portion of the house of one Bodh Raj, son of Nand Ram resident of Massu village, enroute Machail Mata , was partially damaged. However , no loss of life has been reported. He said that power supply has been restored to the area.
Meanwhile, the heavy snowfall also damaged over 70 structures, mostly residential houses across the Valley. Two houseboats belonging to Ghulam Rassol Handoo and Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Sopori were also damaged in Dal Lake near Nehru Park.
Many residential houses, shops, commercial structures and the vehicles were damaged due to the snowfall across Kashmir.
In Srinagar district, over three dozen residential houses, shops and other structures were damaged which belong to Muhammad Yousf Khan of Bagh-e-Mehtab Srinagar, Mehjabeen Bano of Jawahar Nagar, Muhammad Maqbool Sofi of Kani Mohalla Saida Kadal, Muhammad Ismail of Mehjoor Nagar, Ghulam Muhammad Guroo of boatmen colony Bemina, Ghulam Rasool Bhat of Mulfaq Hazratbal, Farooq Ahmad Beigh and Nazir Ahmad Khan of Zoonimar, Ashiq Hussain Bhat Hawal, Ghulam Nabi Wani of Narwara Eidgah, Jan Mohammad Dar of Babapora Zoonimar, Abdul Karim Gujree of Habba Kadal Srinagar, Muhammad Lateef Ganaie of Ishber Nishat, Asif Rashid Wani of Maharajpora Batamaloo, Rouf Ahmad Purrat of Lal Bazar, Peer Muhammad Shafi of Mulfaq Hazratbal, Nazir Ahamd thoker of Sikh bagh Lal bazaar, Shafat Ahmad Sofi Babapora Zoonimar, Bilal Ahmad Malla of Bilal Colony Qamarwari, Tajwar Ahmad in Chattabal, Sheikh Abdul Gaffar of Rather Mohalla Nowshehra, Tariq Ahmad Kundoo of Anchar Soura, Ghulam Muhammad Bhat of Magreypora Khandah, Farooq Ahamd Chandoo of Bagh-e-Sundar Bala Chattabal, Ghulam Nabi Sheikh of Gagribal Siada Kadal.
Besides, Imamia Public School at Rainawari, tin shed at Munawarabad were also damaged in Srinagar while several vehicles were also damaged. A work shop, Usman Auto Work shop at Tengpora Bypass was also damaged where some vehicles have also suffered damage.
Over three dozen structures including residential houses were damaged due to heavy snowfall in Shopian and Kakpora area Pulwama and Pahalgam area of Anantnag districts.
In Baramulla, over two dozen structures and sheds were partially or fully damaged in Boniyar and Uri Teshils which belong to Nazir Mughal of Lagama, Salamabad (B) Dachna, Bashir Ahmad Malik of Bijhama, Mohammad Sidiq Abbasi of Dazna Lachhipora (B), Raza Fatima, Gulzar Hussain of Dhanisyden, Muna of Gati Choolan and Latief Barwal of Nambla (C).
In Budgam district, at least dozen residential houses and three belonging to Reyaz Ahmad Sheikh of Khag, Ghulam Mohidin Bhat of Khag and Abdul Majeed Bhat of Gudsthoo Budgam were damaged due to heavy snowfall. Roof tops of two shops located at main market Chadoora were also damaged.
In Ganderbal district, two residential houses belonging to Ali Muhammad of Kharnihama and Mushtaq Ahmad Wani of Nunner Ganderbal were damaged.
In Kupwara district, two residential houses belonging to Shabir Ahmad Shah of Shirama of Qalamabad and Muhammad Akbar Lone of Kralpora.
Meanwhile, admiration failed to clear snow from Srinagar city and other places leading to hardships for the people especially those with emergencies.
Although the administration made tall claims about snow clearance in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir but situation is grim. Majority of the people stayed indoors as roads were not cleared and even attendance in the offices was negligible but those with medical emergencies faced a lot of hardships in commuting.
A Srinagar resident, Riyaz Ahmad, said that it took him two hours to reach SMHS hospital from Shaletang this morning as no snow clearance was done. The condition of the main road was so slippery that I could not walk on foot,” he said.
Shakeel Ahmad, a resident of Baghi Mehtab area of Srinagar said that in the morning till 11:30 no main road in Srinagar was cleared. He said that he left his home on foot as he could not take out his vehicle as snow was not even cleared from the main road. “The cars were not able to move. In our area lanes and bylanes are yet to be cleared”, he said.
People, especially in South Kashmir had to face extreme difficulties to reach the healthcare facilities as some people and family members of patients had to take their patients on cot to make it to hospitals.
A patient Halima, 45, from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district had complained of stomach pain and was taken on a cot from Dadoora village to district hospital Pulwama as the road leading to the hospital was not cleared.
Another family from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district had to lift their female patient on a cot as Mechanical Engineer Department failed to clear snow from the road connecting this village with Aishmuqam in Anantnag.
An elderly man from the Keller belt of South Kashmir’s Shopian district, Bashir Ahmad Famda son of Abdul Rehman Famda, a resident of Batafojan Chown died while he was being taken to hospital on a make shift stretcher. He complained of some chest related issues and due to non-clearance of snow, his family members and relatives failed to shift him to hospital on time.
In Budgam, administration has failed to clear snow from even main roads and people with emergencies had to face hardships. The main road from Soibugh to Srinagar, Budgam and Narbal in the outskirts of Srinagar is yet to be cleared. Such is the case of all major roads in the district.
An official at PHC Soibugh in Budgam district said that they had to refer two pregnant women to District Hospital Budgam and it took the ambulance four hours to cover 15 minutes normal drive. He said that they called the administration throughout the day that at least the main road from the hospital to district hospital should be cleared so that the patients may not suffer but to no avail.
The electricity situation is also grim despite PDD connecting the majority of the receiving Stations but consumers say that the power is playing hide and seek in areas where it was restored and some of the areas especially rural are still plunged into dark.
Chief Engineer Distribution PDD Ejaz Ahmad, however, said that around 90 per cent electricity has been restored in North and Central Kashmir. He said that 80 per cent electricity had been restored in South Kashmir.
In the backdrop of heavy snowfall across Kashmir, the Cluster University of Srinagar (CUS) on today postponed all exams scheduled on January-7, 8 and the University of Kashmir (KU) extended the PG admission completion date respectively.
The CUS’s controller examinations Prof Mir Khurshid Ahmad said: “All examinations scheduled on 7th and 8th of January, 2021 have been postponed due to inclement weather.”
Meanwhile, KU’s Director of Admissions and Competitive Examinations, Professor Mohammad Farooq Mir said that the Varsity has decided to extend the date for completion of PG admissions.
“Due to inclement weather conditions in the Valley, the date for completion of admission formalities in respect of the candidates selected for PG and other programmes session-2020 have been extended up to and including 11-01-2021,” Mir said.
Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and other concerned officers of Kashmir division have been asked to carry out regular market checking in their respective jurisdictions and ensure that no hoarding or profiteering is exercised by any trader, especially under prevailing circumstances. The DCs have been asked to put all available resources in service to restore all the affected services like roads, transport, power and water supplies besides hospital supplies in their respective districts.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary is personally monitoring the restoration work of essential services including lifting of snow from main as well as inner links of the district including old city areas by Mechanical Engineering Department (MED) and Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC).
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