Fresh snowfall in Kashmir disrupts traffic on national highway, affects flights' schedule

Fresh snowfall disrupted normal life across the region of Kashmir as the majority of flights got cancelled from the Srinagar airport and national highways were blocked.The Srinagar Jammu National highway, which connects the valley to the rest of India, was closed in the wake of continuous snowing in areas like Qazigund and Banihal. The snowfall in Srinagar also affected air traffic, leading to the cancellation of the majority of flights at Srinagar airport.

“The weather conditions would improve in the next few hours in the plains. And we are expecting the weather to be dry from January 14 till January 18. It will be followed by a fresh western disturbance affecting the weather in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. There is a possibility of light to moderate snowfall at most places of Kashmir on January 23 as another western disturbance is affecting J&K on the particular date,”Deputy Director Meteorological Department Mukhtar Ahmad said.

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According to the Meteorological (MeT) department, most of the areas across the Kashmir region witnessed snowfall and accumulation of snow was reported in various areas.

A Met official gave the figures for the scale and concurrent status of snowfall across Kashmir as follows:

• Srinagar: 2cm.. Snowing
• Pahalgam: 28cm..Overcast
• Kokernag: 23cm.. Snowing
• Qazigund: 10cm.. Snowing
• Kupwara: 5cm.. Snowfall just started
• Bhadarwah: 2cm.. Light Rain
• Batote: 2.7cm.. Snowing
• Jammu: 5.6 mm.. Cloudy
• Katra: 19mm.. Overcast

The MeT has predicted that the same weather is likely to continue till evening. Officials said that there is no heavy snowfall prediction for plain areas of the valley including Srinagar.

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The Jammu and Kashmir government has issued an avalanche warning for all the higher reaches in North and Central Kashmir. The people living in these areas have been asked not to venture into the hilly areas.

Pertinently five people, including three army personnel and two labourers, lost their lives during the last two days in Kashmir valley due to snow and avalanches.