Gopal Sharma/
Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Mar 15: Three persons were killed and four injured in landslides and avalanche in Kashmir and Poonch while incessant rain across the State and fresh heavy snowfall in higher reaches of Kashmir and parts of Jammu have paralyzed normal life in the State.
Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road have been closed due to landslides at several places and nearly 3500 passenger vehicles and goods carriers which were on way to Jammu from Srinagar today have been stranded on the highway at Kheri near Udhampur. Though Highway was also closed at three points in Ramsu area of Ramban during early morning but it was cleared by the BRO men and machinery during the day.
IG Traffic told the Excelsior that Highway was closed during early hours today after heavy rain and snowfall. He said there was massive snowfall in Jawahar Tunnel and Banihal area but that was cleared by the machines and the traffic was restored after disruption for some time during morning hours.
He further disclosed that about 3500 vehicles moved from Srinagar to Jammu today as it was down convoy. The vehicles were allowed to move ahead as BRO men cleared landslides in Ramsu area of Ramban. But they got struck at Kheri near Udhampur and till late tonight the highway could not be cleared as heavy rain was going on. The IG said that if the weather improved the Highway at Kheri will be cleared and tomorrow Upward Traffic from Jammu to Srinagar will be allowed depending upon the weather conditions.
Batote- Doda- Kishtwar road was also blocked at Malhori, Daredu and near Thathri due to landslides today. A bridge near Malhori suffered damage and the movement of vehicles was stopped. A large number of vehicles have been stranded on this highway, a senior police official from Doda said.
Reports from Reasi said that Mahore-Gool road was also closed due to landslides at Gagantop and another place while chopper service to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine from Katra base camp also remained suspended today. Mahore-Chasana- Budhal road has also been closed.
Report from Poonch said that a young girl was buried alive in the landslides at a village Surankote in district Poonch. It said that 17-year-old Shamina Bi, daughter of Mohd Bashir had gone to nearby spring to fetch drinking water. She was buried alive due to sudden landslide at the spring at village Safedan Hari. Her body was later retrieved from the debris by the villagers and police party from Surankote. Due to snowfall in Dera Gali area in the morning, Thannamandi- Bafliaz-Surankote road was also closed.
Reports from Kashmir said that a child and a man died and four persons were injured in avalanches and landslides triggered by heavy rains and snowfall.
A four- year- old girl, Huda Farooq died while her mother Anjum Ara, 38, wife of Farooq Ahmad Shah was rescued when their house at Malangpora, Sunrigund in district Pulwama collapsed due to landslide today.
The landslide hit the house leading to its collapse. The locals immediately rushed to the spot and carried out rescue work. Body of the girl child was later recovered from the debris while her mother was rescued and removed to hospital for treatment. Her condition is stated to be stable.
The landslide at Malangpora was triggered by heavy rains that lashed Kashmir valley today. A man died when a shooting stone, triggered by heavy rains, hit his head in North Kashmir’s Uri area of Baramulla district today.
A police spokesman said that Alam Din Chechi, son of Taju Chechi of Bagna Chechipora Uri was seriously injured when he was hit by a shooting stone in his head near forest area of Chechipora, Bijhama in Uri.
Chechi was shifted to district Hospital, Baramulla where from he was referred to SKIMS Soura, Srinagar for treatment. He succumbed to his injuries on way to Srinagar.
Three people were injured when they were buried under a snow avalanche in South Kashmir district of Pulwama, where a massive operation was launched to shift the local population from avalanche prone areas.
A police official said here that a group of three people came under a avalanche at Branpatheri Nagbal, Tral, in South Kashmir, which received heavy snowfall recently.
Police and locals immediately launched an operation and rescued all the three people in an injured condition. The injured identified as Zakir Hussain Paswal, Qasim Paswal and Gulzar Ahmad, residents of Pranpatheri Nagbal, Tral, were admitted to sub district hospital Tral.
The condition of all the injured persons was reported to be stable. Police has started evacuation of people from the avalanche prone areas in the area.
The avalanches and slides were triggered in Kashmir valley after fresh snowfall in upper reaches and rains in Kashmir valley since last night.
A Meteorological department official said here that western disturbance is active in the region which could result in moderate to rather heavy rain or snow at most places in the State during the next 24 hours. He said that there could be widespread rain or snow tomorrow at isolated places on March 17. “However, the weather will remain dry thereafter”, he said.
The upper reaches in the Kashmir valley experienced fresh snowfall while plains, including Srinagar had rain, disrupting normal life again. Gulmarg and areas falling under the Line of Control in Kupwara and Bandipora received fresh snowfall.
Border town of Kargil continued to freeze at minus 7 degrees minimum temperature and there was further improvement in the night temperature at Leh in Ladakh region.
A MeT spokesperson said that during the next four days, there could be widespread rain or snow tomorrow at scattered places. However, the weather will remain dry thereafter, he said.
As predicted by the MeT office, the upper reaches in the Kashmir valley experienced fresh snowfall while plains, including Srinagar had rain, disrupting normal life again. However, the minimum temperature was above normal in the Valley due to cloudy sky during the night.
The spokesman further said that Jammu recorded 40.1 mm rainfall during night till this morning (8.30 am) while 9.2 mm from morning up to 5.30 pm today.
Srinagar recorded 7.5 mm rainfall while it was 8.2 mm during night up to 8.30 am today.
Gulmarg, where Tourism department organised a Snow Festival today, received fresh snowfall. It was snowing there since this morning.
However, there were still dark clouds resulting in drop in the visibility.
The upper heights in the ski resort, including Kongdori, Affarwat, the highest skiing point connected through Cable Car and Khilanmarg received moderate to heavy snowfall.
Pahalgam in south Kashmir, which also serves as base camp for annual Amarnath pilgrimage, had rain since early this morning. The holy Amarnath cave shrine and its periphery received moderate to heavy snowfall while Mahaguns, Sheshnag and Pisso top were also covered under a thick blanket of fresh snowfall.
He said due to cloudy sky during the night, the minimum temperature witnessed some improvement. Against yesterday’s 0.2 degrees, it was 1.4 degrees, about four notches above normal.
Qazigund and Kokernag also in south Kashmir recorded 4.9 degrees and 4.2 degrees minimum temperature, three degree above normal.
The frontier district of Kupwara which experienced 4.8 mm rainfall during the night also recorded improvement in the minimum temperature. Against yesterday’s 3.9 degrees, it was 5.4 degree, about five notches above normal. After witnessing more than three degree above normal minimum temperature, people woke up to yet another chilly morning due to drop in the temperature following rain since early this morning.
MeT spokesperson said against yesterday’s 4.9 degree minimum temperature, it was 6.6 degrees, 3.6 degrees above normal.
However, the day chill returns in the city, where a number of roads were again inundated. People in the border town of Kargil continued to shiver as the mercury remained below freezing point though some improvement was registered.
Against yesterday’s minus 8.2 degrees minimum temperature it was minus 7 degrees, spokesperson said adding it was minus 1.9 degrees at Leh against yesterdays minus 3.2 degrees.
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