Srinagar: Most higher reaches of Kashmir received moderate to heavy snowfall, while the plains were lashed by rains, which brought down temperatures considerably, officials said on Monday.
Several vehicles also got stuck following heavy snowfall along the Sinthan Top following which police and army carried out a rescue operation on Sunday night to evacuate 214 stranded tourists and locals, they said.
Officials said the tourist resorts of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Doodhpathri in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, and Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, received moderate snowfall.
They said the higher reaches, including Pir Ki Gali along the Mughal Road in Shopian district of south Kashmir, Zojilla axis, Gurez in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, Sadhna Top in north Kashmir’s Kupwara, and Sinthan Top, connecting Anantnag in south Kashmir to Kishtwar in Jammu region, received heavy snowfall.
Sadhna Top has received over 12 inches of fresh snowfall, while Sinthan Top around six inches, they added.
The officials said the snowfall has led to the closure of the vital road links in the valley, including the Gurez-Bandipora road, Sinthan-Kishtwar road, and the Mughal Road, the alternate road connecting the Kashmir Valley with the Jammu region.
They said vehicular movement has also been suspended on the Srinagar-Leh highway due to accumulation of snow at Zojila Pass.
The plains of the valley, including Srinagar, were lashed by rains which continued intermittently till Monday morning.
Srinagar city recorded 15.9 mm of rainfall over the last 24 hours.
Pahalgam tourist resort received 15.7 mm of rain.
The wet weather has brought down the temperatures across the valley.
Srinagar city recorded the maximum temperature of 11.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, which was nearly four degrees lower than normal, the officials said.
The other weather stations across the valley also registered below normal temperatures.
The lower temperatures broke the trend of unusually higher day temperatures prevalent in the valley over the last few weeks.
The Meteorological department has forecast erratic weather till March 20.
It said there is a possibility of a brief spell of light rain or snow in the higher reaches, at isolated places on Monday and Tuesday.
From March 18-20, the weather will remain generally cloudy with a possibility of intermittent light to moderate rain or snow at many places.
The MeT Office said another wet spell is likely on March 24-25, with light rain, or snow in the higher reaches, at scattered places.
It said there is a possibility of thunder or gusty winds, about 40-50 kmph, at a few places on Monday, and March 18-20.
The weather office has advised farmers to suspend farm operations till March 20.
One dead in landslide, 235 rescued amid heavy snowfall in Kishtwar
One person was killed and another injured in a landslide near a hydro-power project, while over 230 people, including women and children, were evacuated after they were caught in heavy snowfall at the high-altitude Sinthan top in Kishtwar district, officials said on Monday.
In view of the inclement weather, the authorities have ordered the closure of all educational institutions outside the municipal limits in Kishtwar and adjoining Doda district for Monday as a precautionary measure, the officials said.
A landslide, triggered by rain, struck a hydro-power project site near Dangduru in Kishtwar district on the intervening night of Sunday-Monday, trapping two workers, the officials said.
While one worker was later found dead, the other was rescued in an injured condition and shifted to a hospital, they said.
In another incident, the officials said, a joint rescue operation by the police, Army and the civil administration successfully evacuated 38 vehicles carrying 235 passengers to safety amid heavy snowfall at the Sinthan Top connecting Kishtwar in Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
“On March 15, information was received that 235 civilians were stranded at Sinthan top due to heavy snowfall and severe weather conditions. Troops of the White Knight Corps were immediately mobilised to launch a swift rescue operation despite the treacherous terrain and relentless snowfall.
“Braving extreme weather and snow-blocked roads, the rescue teams reached Sinthan top and provided the stranded civilians with hot meals, drinking water and shelter. Repair and recovery teams restored the mobility of the stranded vehicles, while passengers from the unrecoverable vehicles were safely evacuated.
“Medical teams rendered assistance and essential medicines to those in need,” the White Knight Corps said in a post on X.
“The mission witnessed seamless coordination between the Army, J&K Police and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation, reaffirming the Army’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives in the harshest conditions,” the post added.
Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma, along with SSP Naresh Singh and the commanding officer of the 11 Rashtriya Rifles, supervised the rescue operation, which continued for several hours, the officials said. (With PTI Inputs)
