All flights at Srinagar airport cancelled amid snowfall

Jammu-Srinagar National Highway blocked due to heavy rains in Ramban | Authorities issue avalanche warning in 10 districts

31/01/2023

SRINAGAR, Jan 30: All flights to and from Kashmir were cancelled on Monday due to bad weather and moderate to heavy snowfall across the Valley, officials said.
The continuous snowfall reduced visibility to below 500 metres, leading to the cancellations of all the 68 scheduled flights at the Srinagar airport.
The snowfall started late Sunday night and was still continuing at many places.
The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was shut for traffic due to the snowfall, and landslides at many places.
Train services on the Baramulla-Banihal rail line were also suspended due to the inclement weather.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was blocked on Monday due to heavy rains and shooting stones at Panthyal in the Ramban district, a senior official said.
"Intensity of shooting stones increases at Panthyal, Ramban on National Highway-44, which remains blocked. Wait for more updates. Travelling is highly unadvisable," tweeted Ramban Deputy Commissioner Mussarat Zia. Heavy snowfall and inclement weather conditions prevailed in the Union Territory on Monday.
Srinagar received fresh snowfall this morning after the mercury dropped to a minimum of minus 2 degrees celsius on Sunday night.
Srinagar and the nearby areas were covered in a thick blanket of snow due to which the local traffic and the normal life of the area got affected, according to some locals.
The local people also claimed that the air traffic has also been impacted due to heavy snowfall in Srinagar.
In view of heavy snowfall, the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir issued an avalanche warning in ten districts of the Union Territory on Monday, officials said.
The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in a statement said "High Danger ' level avalanches were likely to occur 2500 metres above sea level over the Doda, Kishtwar and Poonch districts of Jammu division during the next 24 hours.
Similarly a "Medium Danger" level avalanche warning was also issued for the people living 1500 to 2500 metres above sea level over Bandipora, Baramulla, Kupwara in north Kashmir districts, Kulgam in south Kashmir,central Kashmir's Bandipora district and Ramban in Jammu division during the next 24 hours.
Avalanche with "Low Danger" level is likely to occur above 1500 metres above sea level over south Kashmir's Anantnag district in next 24 hours, the statement added.
People living in these areas are advised to take precautions and avoid venturing in the avalanche prone areas.
Kashmir valley received the season's first major snowfall that disconnected the valley with the rest of the country on Monday.
IMD had issued "orange color" heavy snowfall warning for Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. It also warned that snowfall may cause avalanches in avalanche prone areas during the next 24 hours as higher reaches have accumulated more than one foot of fresh snow.
Two girls buried alive after a massive snow avalanche hit Tangole village in Kargil district of Ladakh Union Territory on Sunday.
The bodies of the two were retrieved after a massive search operation launched by Police, UTDRF and Mechanical Division Kargil at Tangole village, Deputy Commissioner Kargil Santosh Sukhdeve said.
"My deepest condolences to the families of Bilquis Fatima and Kulsoom Bee who lost their lives in an unfortunate avalanche incident in Tangole village of Kargil." Lieutenant Governor R_K_Mathur said in a tweet.
He also announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh each to the bereaved families of the victims.
Meanwhile, CEO LAHDC Kargil Feroz Khan has expressed his condolences to the family of the victims and prayed for the eternal peace of the deceased.

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