Snowfall leads to closure of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway
What's the story
Kashmir was cut off from the rest of the country on Monday as the arterial Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and Mughal Road were closed due to snowfall across the Valley, leaving nearly 4,500 vehicles stranded along the 260-kilometer road. "The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is closed due to accumulation of snow at many places, especially around Jawahar Tunnel," an official of the traffic control department said.
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Snow clearance operations in full swing
Snow clearance operations are in full swing and efforts are on to restore movement of stranded vehicles. "Nearly 4,500 vehicles, mostly trucks carrying essentials to the Valley, are stranded along the highway at various places," the official added. Mughal Road, connecting the Valley to the Jammu division through the Shopian-Rajouri axis, has been closed for several days due to heavy snowfall.
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South Kashmir's Kulgam district received the highest snowfall
The officials said south Kashmir's Kulgam district received the highest snowfall with two to three feet of snow accumulated at some places. "Anantnag district has also received heavy snowfall between one foot and two feet," they said. The flight operations to and from Srinagar remained suspended for the second consecutive day due to poor visibility.
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Temperature elsewhere in the Valley
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.9 degree Celsius. Gulmarg tourist resort's minimum temperature remained unchanged at minus 5 degree Celsius on Sunday night. Pahalgam tourist resort recorded a low of minus 6.7 degree Celsius, plunging from minus 1.45 degree Celsius the previous night. Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 0.3 degree Celsius, Kupwara minus 0.3 degree Celsius, and Kokernag, minus 1.4 degree Celsius.
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Moderate to heavy snowfall predicted
As per the MeT office, moderate to very heavy snowfall was likely to take place, especially in south Kashmir, Gulmarg, Banihal-Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri, Kistawar, Zanskar, Drass as well as on the higher reaches of Ladakh UT, over two days. Snowfall will continue on Tuesday with the occasional break, leading to transportation disruption and water-logging in the plains of Jammu and Srinagar.
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Kashmir is under the grip of its harshest winter period
Kashmir is currently under the grip of its 40 days harshest winter period Chillai-Kalan (December 21-January 31), where the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water supply lines and water bodies, including the Dal Lake. The chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum during this period, which will be followed by Chillai-Khurd (small cold) and Chillai-Bachha (baby cold).