Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Jan 17: Authorities have closed Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and issued avalanche warning in the hills of North Kashmir after heavy snowfall lashed Kashmir valley today.
As the Weatherman has forecast heavy snowfall in Kashmir valley, the University of Kashmir has postponed its all examinations scheduled for Friday. A spokesman of the Kashmir University said here that all examinations scheduled for January 18 have been postponed and new dates will be announced later.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Traffic, Muneer Ahmad Khan told Excelsior that in view of the heavy snowfall along the Banihal and Patnitop areas of the National Highway, the surface link to Kashmir valley has been closed for traffic.
The IGP said that around 450 vehicles crossed the Jawahar Tunnel and reached Qazigund this evening but around 40 light vehicles and three busses carrying passengers have been stopped in Banihal after heavy snowfall forced the closure of the National Highway this evening.
Khan said that it was heavily snowing on both the sides of the Jawahar Tunnel and no traffic will be allowed on the highway tomorrow. He said that traffic on the highway will be only allowed after the snow clearance on the Highway and improvement in weather conditions.
The Director Meteorological Department Sonam Lotus told Excelsior that freak weather will continue till Friday evening and after that weather will start improving across State.
The Weatherman said that for next 24 hours Pir-Panchal Mountains will experience heavy snowfall. He said that reports of snowfall in Kashmir valley and Ladakh region and rains in Jammu region have been reported since morning.
The Director said that Jammu received a rainfall of 15 mm, Ramban 20 mm, Katra 15 mm, Batote 15 mm, Kupwara 11 mm. He further said that Srinagar received 2 mm snowfall, Banihal 5 mm, Qazigund 6 mm while higher reaches of Pir-Panchal received heavy snowfall.
In the meantime, Divisional Disaster Management Kashmir on the basis of information from Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) issued a medium danger avalanche warning in North Kashmir. People living in snow bound areas of Naugam, Chowkibal, Machil, Tangdhar, Keran and Gurez have been advised not to venture in steep avalanche prone slopes for next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the night temperature in Kashmir valley showed some improvement. Srinagar recorded a minimum of 0.8 degree Celsius and maximum of 4.4 degree Celsius. Jammu recorded maximum of 16.8 degree Celsius and minimum of 9.4 degree Celsius. Kargil recorded a maximum of minus 2.2 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 10 degree Celsius. Leh recorded a maximum of minus 4.4 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 15 degree Celsius.
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