JKDMA issues fresh warning for 4 distts of Kashmir
Plains of Jammu, Sgr receive light to moderate rains
Fayaz Bukhari/Govind Sharma
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Mar 29: The Srinagar-Leh National Highway at Sonamarg in Ganderbal district was struck by a massive snow avalanche today but there was no report of any casualty in the incident. Meanwhile, plains of both regions of Jammu and Kashmir received light to moderate rains, leading to significant drop in day temperature.
A massive snow avalanche struck Srinagar-Leh highway at the Hung area of Sonamarg this afternoon, officials said. “However, there was no report of any casualty in the incident,” they added. Two vehicles which were stuck in the snow were rescued, sources said, adding, a police team was rushed to the spot to ascertain the situation.
Kashmir Valley was lashed by widespread rains during the past 24 hours and some upper reaches also received fresh snowfall, prompting authorities to issue a fresh avalanche warning as a precautionary measure for the people living in the higher reaches of four districts of the Kashmir valley.
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“An avalanche with a medium danger level is likely to occur above 2400 metres over Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal, and Baramulla districts of the Kashmir valley in the next 24 hours,” a spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority (JKDMA) said. He advised people living in these areas to take precautions and avoid venturing into the avalanche-prone areas until further orders.
The Meteorological Department in Srinagar said that Kashmir plains, including Srinagar, were lashed by intermittent light to moderate rains during the past 24 hours, resulting in a considerable drop in temperature. In past 24 hours, Srinagar received 25.2 mm of rainfall, Qazigund 13.0 mm, Pahalgam 17.8 mm, Kupwara 8.9 mm, Kokernag 11.0 mm and Gulmarg had 17.6mm rainfall till this morning.
In last 24 hours in Jammu region, Banihal town recorded highest rainfall of 20.4 mm while Bhaderwah received 8.6 mm of rainfall, Batote 4.8 mm, Katra 3.6 mm and Jammu received only 1.7 mm of rainfall.
The MeT predicted fairly widespread light to moderate rain and snow over J&K during the next 48 hours. It said the erratic weather may also cause disruptions in surface transport over important passes. Travelers and tourists have been advised to plan their trip accordingly, particularly during March 30.
“There is a possibility of landslides, mudslides and shooting stones during the above period. Thunderstorms and lighting activity, with the possibility of hailstorms and gusty winds, can also occur during the next two days,” the Weather department said.
The night temperature in Srinagar, Jammu and other parts of the Union Territory dropped due to rains but stayed above normal, while the day temperature also witnessed a drop and stayed below normal on most of the locations except Jammu and Katra where the day temperature was recorded above normal.
Srinagar had a low of 8.2 degree C against the 9.8 degree C recorded during the intervening nights of Thursday and Friday. It was 2.1 degree C above normal for the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir during this period of the season.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of 8.4°C against 9.8°C the previous night and it was 3.7°C above normal for the town. Pahalgam recorded a low of 5.0°C, same as the previous night and it was 3.4°C above normal for the resort. Kokernag recorded a minimum of 7.7°C against 9.1°C the previous night and it was 3.0°C above normal. Kupwara town recorded a low of 7.3°C against 9.5°C the previous night and Gulmarg recorded a low of 0.4°C against 3.0°C the previous night.
Srinagar recorded a maximum of 14.5 degree Celsius temperature today, Qazigund 13.1 degree Celsius, Pahalgam 10. 0 degree Celsius, Kupwara 10.5 degree Celsius, Kokernag 12.7 degree Celsius and Gulmarg recorded a maximum of 4.0 degree Celsius.
Jammu recorded a low of 19.6 degree Celsius and a maximum of 31.8 degree Celsius, Banihal had a low of 10.4 degree Celsius and a maximum of 17.3 degree Celsius, Batote recorded a low of 10.1 and 16.7, Katra recorded a minimum of 16.1 and maximum of 26.8 and Bhaderwah had a low of 9.6 degree Celsius and high of 18.8 degree Celsius.
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