16 flights cancelled in Jammu, tourists trapped at Patnitop
*Over 60 transformers, scores of poles damaged
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Dec 29: The winter capital Jammu City which continued to experience harsh winter conditions for the last couple of days today recorded lowest 2.2 degree Celsius night temperature while the day temperature has gone about 10 degrees below normal, whereas, with the heavy snowfall in hilly areas during last two days, power infrastructure has been badly damaged.
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Dense fog in the region badly affected air and train traffic while 16 flights at Jammu airport were cancelled due to bad weather and poor visibility and only one SpiceJet flight could operate during afternoon from Jammu airport. The vehicular traffic was also badly hit during morning hours today due to foggy conditions.
Chatha observatory of SKUAST-Jammu recorded 2.2 degree Celsius temperature at 5 am today while the day temperature remained 8.8 degree Celsius which is nearly 10 degree below normal temperature.
Senior Scientist and Incharge Agrometeorology Department, SKUAST -Jammu, Dr Mahinder Kumar Singh said that Chatha observatory in Jammu today recorded season’s lowest day temperature which has remained 8.8 degree C. The normal temperature should have been 18.4 deg C. So far, Jammu’s day temperature has not gone below 10 degree Celsius, he added.
Singh further disclosed that Jammu recorded a minimum temperature of 2.2 degree Celsius at Chatha observatory and it was the second lowest temperature of the season. He claimed that on December 18, 2020, this observatory of SKUAST had recorded season’s lowest temperature of 1.6 degree Celsius. The normal night temperature today should be 7.4 degree C. He said the cold is at its peak in Jammu region and dense fog in plain areas has made life more miserable and also thrown normal life out of gear.
While issuing advisory for the farmers and common masses, the SKUAST Scientist said that elderly people and children need to take more precautions these days. Full woolen clothes, covering head and neck, besides feet, should be used to protect themselves. The farmers must protect mustard crop by irrigating or by burning dry leaves around the farms. The young fruit plants should be covered by raising thatches or other means during these months, he added.
Meanwhile, a MeT official said that tourist resort of Bhaderwah today recorded minimum temperature of -1.9 degree C and maximum 4.8 deg C; Batote maximum 5.1 deg C and maximum -1.5 deg C; holy township of Katra minimum 4.5 deg C and maximum 12.2 deg C, Kargil town of Ladakh minimum -16.4 deg C and Leh minimum temperature of -14.5 degree Celsius today.
Summer capital Srinagar today recorded night temperature of 0 degree Celsius while day temperature remained 4.8 degree C. Famous Gulmarg tourist resort record a night temperature of -7.5 deg C and Pahalgam -3 degree Celsius. The weather would remain dry during next four days in Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh regions, the MeT official said.
Meanwhile, moderate snowfall was experienced in most parts of Kashmir valley on Tuesday. Snowfall also occurred in Srinagar at 7 am today which continued for several hours. Snowfall has also been reported from other districts of the Valley.
According to officials, at least seven inches of fresh snowfall has been recorded at Gulmarg, a world-renowned skiing center in North Kashmir, while around three inches of snow has been recorded at Pahalgam, a tourist spot in South Kashmir.
There was also snowfall in North Kashmir and three inches of fresh snow has been recorded there. Although fresh snow has fallen around the Jawahar Tunnel, but traffic continued on the highway connecting the Kashmir Valley with Jammu, officials said.
Dense fog in Jammu, Samba and Kathua areas today disrupted normal life and even affected air services, with 16 flights canceled and one operated with delayed schedule, Jammu Airport Director, Priyavat Ranjan Burea said. He added that air service could not be fully restored due to poor visibility and dense fog at Airport. He further said that the visibility at airport was very low between 9 and 11 am but it improved after 1 pm.
Meanwhile, several roads and link roads leading to Doda and Kishtwar districts were closed following fresh snowfall in higher reaches. Doda district is witnessing snowfall from early morning due to which the roads have been closed.
The road connecting Thathri and Gandoh- Kahara to Halaran, Gandoh to Chilly, Batyas- Jakyas, Changa to Soti with the district headquarters have been closed for vehicular movement. However, the road connecting Thathri with Doda is open for traffic.
Gandoh Sub Divisional headquarters received 6 inch, Manoo 1 ft, Hadal 1 ft, Jakyas 8 inch, Kahara 6 inch and Changa 10 inch of snowfall today.
Most of the remote areas of Doda and Kishtwar districts were reeling under darkness due to failure of Power Development Department to restore electricity.
Power infrastructure has also suffered massive damage in Chenani- Latti-Dudu- Basantgarh and Pancheri, Ladhar and Mongri (Bamagh) areas of Udhampur and Reasi districts. Similar reports have been received from Mahore, Gool- Gulabgarh, Sungri-Chasana and Budhal areas besides Bani-Duggan and Loang area.
Chief Engineer, PDD (M&RE) Jammu, Gurmeet Singh said that with the heavy snowfall at higher reaches of Udhampur, Doda, Ramban, Reasi and Kathua, about 60 electric transformers and scores of poles have been damaged. He said that restoration work on war footing has been launched and in many areas the power supply has been restored. He claimed that within next 1-2 days, the power will be restored to all the affected areas.
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