10 POLICEMEN FEARED TRAPPED AFTER AVALANCHE IN VALLEY
INCLEMENT WEATHER Avalanche near Jawahar Tunnel, Kashmir remains cut off for the second consecutive day
SRINAGAR: At least 10 policemen were feared trapped inside their post after an avalanche struck Kulgam district near the Jawahar Tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Thursday evening, police said. The avalanche hit the north portal of Jawahar Tunnel on the Qazigund side, a police official said. “
SRINAGAR/JAMMU/SHIMLA: Rain, hailstorms and snowfall lashed Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, disrupting normal life at many places on Thursday, officials said.
The Kashmir region remained cut off for the second consecutive day due to heavy snowfall, which resulted in disruption of essential services in most of the districts of the valley, the officials said.
The snowfall, which ranged between six inches in Srinagar to nearly five feet in some areas of South Kashmir, has blocked many roads within the valley, the officials said.
A fresh avalanche struck near Jawahar Tunnel on the valley side, blocking its north portal, the official said.
The traffic control department said the arterial SrinagarJammu road remained closed for the second day due to accumulation of snow around Jawahar Tunnel and landslides at several places in Ramban district.
Around a dozen families were evacuated to safer places in south and central Kashmir due to threat of avalanches.
The road link to Doda region was also snapped due to inclement weather as the road link connecting Batote to Doda, Kishtwar and Bhaderwah was blocked by landslides triggered by incessant rain. Avalanches have also struck many houses in Mangit, Mahu, Kutji, Doran and Nagpora in Khari tehsil of Bannihal area.
“Due to bad weather and heavy snowfall, all flights are cancelled for today,’’ the Srinagar airport director said. However airfare has registered spike due to closure of the national highway and frequent cancellation of flights.
Kashmir divisional commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan on Thursday directed petrol pump owners not to issue more than three litres of petrol and 10 litres of diesel per vehicle each day. The health department has also issued special advisory about the safeguards during snow.
Met director Sonum Lotus said they were expecting improvement in the weather from Friday. Meanwhile, the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) has issued warning about avalanches across the state following heavy snowfall in the upper parts of Kashmir and asked the people to remain vigilant.
The inclement weather also caused cancellation of 13 fights from Jammu airport.
Airport terminal manager said four flights each of SpiceJet and IndiGo airlines, three of Air India and one each of Go Air and Vistara airlines were cancelled from Jammu airport due to the inclement weather.
The bhawan area of the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi and the surrounding Trikuta hills also received fresh snowfall on Thursday.
The heavy downpour and fog around the cave shrine forced the authorities to suspend the chopper services from base camp Katra to Sanjichat.
POWER SUPPLY HIT IN HIMACHAL
Himachal Pradesh also experienced widespread rains across the state and fresh snowfall in higher altitude regions.
State capital Shimla received 9 cm rainfall during the day and strong velocity winds in the town disrupted communication and power supply.
Dharamshala, headquarters of Kangra, experienced 42 cm rains, while Kalpa in Kinnaur received 9 cm of snowfall.
Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), Manali, issued a warning for Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti, Shimla, Kinnaur and Kullu districts.
A spokesperson of the Himachal government said the district disaster management authorities (DDMAs) had been asked to keep a close watch on the situation and take appropriate precautionary measures.
People have been advised to keep adequate stock of essential commodities and emergency medicine, he said.