A spell of snowfall, very rare for the month of May, on Monday triggered a cold wave and resulted in closure of highways connecting the Kashmir Valley with the outside world. The erratic weather has also negatively impacted the horticulture sector of the Valley.
Snowfall was recorded in tourist destinations of Gulmarg and Sonamarg, besides the upper reaches of the Valley. Fresh snowfall also accumulated on the Mughal Road, connecting Shopian district with Poonch district.
Officials said the traffic on Srinagar-Jammu road was badly affected due to the rains, triggering landslips. The Srinagar-Leh road was closed due to landslips on the Sonamarg-Gumri road.
According to the police, 10 tourists from Andaman and Nicobar Islands got stranded due to the inclement weather in the higher reaches of B-Top Jawahar Tunnel in Kulgam.
“The police team, equipped with necessary equipment and supplies, braved the adverse weather conditions to reach the stranded tourists. They were shifted to safe accommodation,” the police said.
In south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, security forces evacuated around 20 families stranded alongside their livestock at the Margan Top in Kokernag area. Meanwhile, the administration has advised against travelling on the Sinthan pass and the Margan pass roads till tomorrow.
The Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority (JKDMA) issued an avalanche alert for higher reaches in four districts for the next 24 hours, including Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Baramulla districts.
Torrential rains forced the administration of Ramban and Doda districts to close schools up to Class 8 for the day.
Temperature during the day plummeted to less than 13 degree Celsius in Srinagar. A cold wave was recorded across the Kashmir Valley, leaving orchardists anxious.
Apni Party leader Ghulam Hassan Mir said paddy growers have suffered losses due to the adverse weather conditions.
“The administration should provide compensation and necessary help to them,” he added.
Meanwhile, an official of the meteorological department said the weather will witness a significant improvement from May 9. “It will be mainly dry from May 10,” the official said.
The Met advised farmers to postpone spraying of orchards and harvesting of crops. It advised tourists to “keep warm clothes and eatables ready as weather will be colder”.
