Header Ads

Breaking News
recent

Snow shuts Jammu-Srinagar highway, hundreds of vehicles stranded

Live news, Latest news India, Breaking news India

Srinagar: Kashmir Valley has been cut off from rest of the country as incessant snowfall forced closure of Jammu-Srinagar National highway and cancellation of all flights to and from the international airport in Srinagar. (In pics: Season's first snowfall in Kashmir)

The snowfall also prompted authorities to close schools, which were kept open to compensate for the loss of studies during the five-month-long summer unrest.

The 294-km highway, connecting the Valley to the rest of the country, was closed after snowfall in Qazigund and Jawahar Tunnel area, officials said. Nearly two feet of snow had accumulated in Qazigund as snowfall continued for the second day, they said.

Around 100 vehicles are stranded in the area around Jawahar Tunnel. The officials said passengers have been shifted to safe locations in Anantnag and Ramban.

"50 vehicles are stranded outside Jawahar Tunnel, 20-25 vehicles are near lower Munda while 75 vehicles are stranded inside the tunnel," Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Asgar Hussain Samoon said, adding the passengers were provided biscuits and other eatables. More vehicles are stranded elsewhere.

All flights to and from Srinagar International Airport were cancelled due to poor visibility, officials said.

"The road clearance work is in progress and a decision on allowing traffic (on the national highway) would depend on the weather conditions," he said.

The snowfall blocking roads also prompted authorities to close schools. "All the schools, which were functional so far, will now remain closed for winter vacation," an official of the Divisional Administration Kashmir said.

Schools close down in Kashmir on December 15 every year and reopen on March 1. But the government had last month announced that students of classes IX, X, XI and XII will attend schools during the winter vacation.

Kashmir has been in the grip of intense cold wave with temperatures plunging to minus six degrees Celsius. Kashmir University has also postponed the ongoing examinations till further notice.

The snowfall has ended a two-month dry spell in the Valley. Officials said five houses were damaged in South Kashmir which experienced the maximum snowfall with Shopian district recording 15 inches of snow.

Some hilly areas of Kishtwar and Doda districts also experienced snowfall while rains lashed Jammu region. MeT office said here that Jammu city experienced nearly 41 mm of rainfall.

No comments:

Powered by Blogger.