Fresh snowfall in Kashmir, Himachal

JAMMU/SHIMLA/DEHRADUN: Most parts of Jammu&kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are reeling under severe cold due to snowfall in the higher reaches on Monday.

Snowfall led to closure of 294km-long arterial Jammu-srinagar national highway, the Valley’s only surface link with the rest of the country. The 86-kmlong Mughal road that connects Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch districts was also closed due to snowfall.

In the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, popular tourist spot Rohtang Pass was closed for traffic following heavy snowfall, an official said. Also, there is prediction of snowfall in the higher reaches and rain in the lower hills over the next two days.

As per Met department, Kargil was the coldest in J&K at minus 8 degress C, while Lahaulspiti was the coldest in Himachal Pradesh at minus 5 degrees C.

“The minimum temperature rose above the freezing point in Srinagar after 10 days due to night-long cloud cover on Monday,” a Met department official said. The minimum temperature in Srinagar was 2.4 degrees C, while it was 10.8 degrees C in Jammu.

Met officials said more than six inches of snow had accumulated on both sides of Jawahar Tunnel — the key link between Jammu and Srinagar regions — resulting in foggy and slippery road conditions. Famous tourist resort Patnitop, along the national highway, also experienced snowfall, it is learnt.

Heavy downpour and fog around the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi forced the authorities to suspend the chopper services from Katra to Sanjichat.

The Uttarakhand weather department predicted showers and snowfall in higher reaches of the state in the next few days.