AS RAINS HIT THE VALLEY, KASHMIRIS BRACE FOR SNOW
With different parts of the Valley receiving rain since Thursday morning, Kashmir has braced itself for another spell of snowfall.
The upper reaches of the Valley received another bout of snowfall in the morning while Srinagar and other rural townships observed rainfall, which was incessant but mild.
Director of the meteorological department (Met) Sonum Lotus had issued an advisory saying that there could be snowfall from November 14 to 16. “The snowfall may lead to landslide, temporary disruptions of surface transportation on Leh–Srinagar, Srinagar—Jammu highways. There’s no forecast of heavy spell, unlike the previous one,” he had said.
Met officials told Hindustan Times that rain was recorded in different parts of the Valley since Wednesday night. “Srinagar witnessed 1.4mm, Pahalgam 2.4mm, Kupwara 3.5mm and Gulmarg 2mm of rain,’’ the official said, adding, the minimum night temperature in Srinagar was 1.7 degrees Celsius, while on Thursday the day temperature in the city was 7.2 degrees Celsius.
FIRST SNOW AFFECTED LIFE
The snowfall on November 6, which was the season’s first heavy snowfall in Kashmir, had affected life across Kashmir with many areas still without electricity, though power has been restored in summer capital Srinagar and most of the rural towns.
The recent snowfall had also damaged apple and saffron crops in many parts of Kashmir and trees got uprooted causing losses to fruit growers. Nine people including three porters and an SPO were also killed in snow-related incidents last week.
‘REMAIN ON HIGH ALERT’
Though the administration has not issued any fresh warning, but officials have been asked to remain on high alert especially those dealing with snow clearance operations. Even the heads of major hospitals and other emergency services were asked to remain present at the control rooms so people don’t face any problems.
Last year on November 2, Srinagar had received season’s first snowfall which was after nine years that the city had been draped in white in November. Kashmir also experienced mild rains and snow in first half of December last year. January has mostly remained wet this year in Jammu and Kashmir with six spells of snow, though the quantum of precipitation has not been unusual.
The state was affected by one of the longest weather systems in January blocking the 295-km Srinagar-Jammu national highway for a week and disrupting air traffic. The intense winter (challai kalan) starts in the valley from December 21 and lasts for 40 day period followed by chillai khurd (20 days which are less intense) and chillai bache (10 days of mild cold).