Fayaz Bukhari/
Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Dec 10: With the rain in the entire Jammu and Kashmir region since morning and snowfall at Pir Panjal and other higher reaches of Kashmir and parts of Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts, there has been sharp fall in temperature in the region while Srinagar-Leh Highway and Mughal Road were closed due to heavy snowfall at higher passes.
About 104 vehicles got trapped at various places between Heerpora in Shopian and Chahta Pani- Pir-Ki-Gali area of Poonch and were cleared with the help of Army and Police authorities by late this evening. While higher reaches of Pir Panjal in Jawahar Tunnel area also experienced fresh snowfall, but the National Highway between Banihal and Qazigund was operational till late this evening. Helicopter service to world famous shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi in Katra also remained suspended due to bad weather today.
The hills of Kashmir experienced fresh snowfall while plains were lashed by rains since early morning leading to closure of Srinagar-Leh National Highway. The hilly areas including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Shopian, Kupwara and Sonamarg received fresh snowfall of the season today while plains of the Valley were lashed by rains.
The Meteorological department has forecast more rains in the plains and snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir over the next two days due to western disturbance over the State.
A Traffic official said that vehicular movement was closed due to fresh heavy snowfall at Peer Ki Gali on Mughal Road. “There is about two feet snow in Peer Ki Gali stretch. The movement of vehicles is not possible, so the road has been closed,” he said.
The Srinagar-Leh National Highway was also closed due to snowfall at Zojila. The highway was closed after fresh snowfall in Drass and Minimarag in Kargil district and Zojila and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district.
He further said that they cleared 356 light and heavy vehicles moved from Drass towards Sonamarg until 4.30 pm. “In view of inclement weather and the snowfall at Zojila, the vehicular traffic has been suspended and the decision of its reopening or permanent closure will be taken later,” he said.
Srinagar city was lashed by rains and icy winds were blowing across Kashmir valley forcing people to stay indoors. Srinagar recorded a low of 2.8 degrees Celsius, an increase of one degree from 1. 8 degrees Celsius the previous night while maximum day temperature settled at 6.9 degree Celsius.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir recorded around one feet of fresh snowfall since last night. A large number of visiting tourists were have fun in snow.
The minimum temperature at Gulmarg was minus 3.0 degrees Celsius as against minus 2.6 degrees Celsius the previous night while day maximum temperature was recorded at minus 1.0 degrees Celsius.
Kokernag, in South Kashmir, also witnessed a drop in the night temperature as the town recorded a low of 1.9 degrees Celsius compared to 2.6 degrees Celsius the previous night while as maximum day temperature was recorded at 7.7 degree Celsius.
The mercury in Pahalgam settled at a low of 1.3 degrees Celsius while the maximum day temperature was recorded at 6.9 degree Celsius.
The Qazigund registered a rise of about five degrees from the low of 1.8 degrees Celsius the previous night to settle at the minimum of 6.5 degrees Celsius while maximum day temperature was recorded at 8. 4 degree Celsius. The mercury in Kupwara town in north Kashmir settled at a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius, an increase of over a degree from 0. 3 degree Celsius while day temperature settled at 4.7 degree Celsius.
Leh, in the frontier region of Ladakh, was the coldest recorded place in the State with the minimum of minus 6.7 degrees Celsius, dropping by 1.7 degree Celsius from minus 5.0 degrees Celsius the previous night.
The Kargil town experienced a drop on two degrees in the night temperature as it recorded a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius compared to minus 3.6 degrees Celsius the previous night.
Meanwhile, a senior Traffic Police officer told the Excelsior that drizzle continued since morning in Ramban and Udhampur areas but the National Highway remained clear. He said there was no landslide in this belt and moreover, the vehicular traffic was operational through Jawahar Tunnel as well when the last reports reached this evening. Batote-Kishtwar highway was also through besides other link roads. At Bhaderwah town and Patnitop also there was no snowfall and the traffic remained normal today.
SDPO Surankote (Poonch) Riaz Tantray disclosed that followed heavy snowfall at Pir Ki Gali and nearly 8-10 kms on both the sides of this pass, 104 vehicles got trapped since last evening. The highway was declared closed this morning and all the trapped vehicles were got cleared by this evening. He said that there is nearly 1.5 ft to 2 ft snow at Pir Ki Gali area and there is no possibility of opening of this road thereafter shortly.
The reports from Kathua and Udhampur said that snowfall also took place in higher reaches of Bani and Billawar including Sarthal, Chhatergalla and Machhedi area today. Mountainous areas of Dudu- Basantgarh, Latti and Landhar area of Udhampur have also experienced snowfall. The temperature has witnessed sharp fall. Similar reports have been received from higher reaches of Paddar, Marwah, Chhatroo-Chingam areas of Kishtwar and parts of Doda and Ramban and Mahore in Reasi.
A Met spokesman said that Jammu’s day temperature has gone down to 20.2 degree C today which is nearly 12 degree below normal. The minimum temperature remained 13.0 degree C in the winter capital city today while Mata Vaishnodevi in experienced a minimum temperature of 11.6 Degree C and maximum 17.5 degree C. He predicted rain in most of the areas of the region and more snowfall at higher reaches in next 24 hours.
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