SRINAGAR, JAN 05 : Heavy snowfall brings respite from the intense cold wave but disrupted normal life in Kashmir Valley.
According to the Met officials, “Snowfall started yesterday afternoon across the Valley. Srinagar recorded 25.2 cm of snow and minimum temperature recorded in the city was minus 1.3 degrees Celsius, 1.9 notches above than the temperature recorded the previous night.”
Gulmarg in North Kashmir witnessed 2 feet snow. Pahalgam in South Kashmir received about 40 cm of snow and the minimum temperature dipped to minus 2.8 degrees Celsius there.
The upper reaches of Ladakh also received snowfall. In Leh, the minimum temperature recorded was minus 8 degrees Celcius. At Kargil, the mercury dipped to minus 15.6 degrees Celsius.
The fresh spell of snowfall in Kashmir Valley also brought chilled cold wave to Jammu where the minimum temperature recorded was 10 degrees Celsius.
Fresh snowfall has brought hopes to the people associated with the tourism industry. Mukhtar Shah, a hotelier, said, “Tourists who are already here in Gulmarg extended their tour after the fresh snowfall. We are hopeful that we will have a good winter season ahead and more tourists will come to Kashmir after this snowfall. Snow sports lovers will also come to Gulmarg as we have the best skiing slopes here.”
Meanwhile, the 434 km long Srinagar-Leh highway and the 86 km long Mughal road that connects South Kashmir with Poonch and Rajouri districts of the Jammu region remained closed due to the accumulation of snow at several places.
“Many roads, highways and the airport are blocked and most homes are without electricity,” former Chief Minister Omar Abduallah tweeted.
In another tweet Omar said “Yesterday was pretty, today it’s now a pain. Many roads, highways & the airport are blocked & most homes are without electricity. We know Kashmir is going to see snow in winter but when it does snow normal life just falls apart”.
“Due to heavy snowfall, many remote areas in North and South Kashmir have been cut-off from nearby towns. The 300 km long Srinagar-Jammu national highway that connects Kashmir valley with the rest of country is closed for vehicular movement,” traffic police officials said. (PTK)
