Normal life and connectivity were disrupted in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, after a fresh spell of snow in the two regions disrupted power and water supplies
Srinagar: Normal life and connectivity were disrupted in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, after a fresh spell of snow in the two regions disrupted power and water supplies, and led to closure of roads and cancellation of several flights.
While authorities in J&K issued avalanche warnings in eight districts and urged the residents to avoid unnecessary movement for the next 24 hours, in Himachal Pradesh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) office in Shimla predicted snowfall and light to moderate rainfall, with possibility of thunder, during the same period.
In J&K, light snowfall of three to six inches was recorded in the plains and mountains of the Himalayan Kashmir Valley, snowfall of eight to 12 inches was registered in the middle and higher reaches of Kashmir division.
The night temperature plunged to -7.0 degree Celsius in the ski resort of Gulmarg while the mercury settled at -1. 6 degree celsius during the day. The summer capital of Srinagar was relatively better at -0.7 degree Celsius during the night while the day temperature settled at 3 degree Celsius, some 5.9 notches below normal.
“There was light to moderate rain with thunder over the plains of Jammu division and light to moderate snow over the middle and higher reaches,” Srinagar MeT Centre’s director, Mukhtar Ahmad, said.
“On Monday, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy with possibility of light snow over isolated higher reaches,” he added, saying that the weather will remain dry from Tuesday.
The Valley has been receiving snowfall since January 29 as the 40-day harshest winter period of Chilai Kalan ended with scant precipitation.
Amid the widespread snowfall, all flights in the Union territory were cancelled on Sunday. “All flights have been cancelled for the day due to bad weather at Srinagar,” a spokesperson of Srinagar Airport said.
In a statement issued in Mumbai, private carrier IndiGo said six of its flights – four to Srinagar and two to Leh – were cancelled due to bad weather. “Due to a drastic change in the weather conditions, the runway at Srinagar and Leh have been closed. This has led to the cancellation of four IndiGo flights to Srinagar and two IndiGo flights to Leh,” the statement said.