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Srinagar witnessed its first snowfall of the season, marking the end of a prolonged dry spell. (Express Photo Mashkoora Khan)
Normal life was disrupted across Jammu & Kashmir on Friday as heavy rain, gusty winds and snowfall blocked roads, disrupted power supply and prompted the authorities to close schools at various places in the Union Territory.
The authorities also suspended the pilgrimage to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine as a precautionary measure. The key road links to the Valley from Jammu and Ladakh, along with the Mughal Road and the Kokernag-Kishtwar road, were closed for traffic. All flight operations were suspended at the Srinagar airport.
The high-speed winds blew away rooftops, uprooted trees and snapped power lines in different parts of Kashmir, plunging parts of the Valley into darkness.
At least 120 people stranded in snow in Udhampur district’s Basantgarh area and Tota Gali in Poonch district were rescued by police and security forces, respectively.
By Friday noon, sufficient snow had accumulated in most parts of the Valley. Officials said while 2 feet of snow had accumulated in Shopian, it was around a foot in Pulwama and many other parts of north Kashmir.
In Jammu region, about 2-3 ft of snow was recorded in Batote, Patnitop and Sansar areas along the national highway, and the high altitude areas of Udhampur, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Poonch districts, disrupting power and water supply, and telecommunication services.
The vehicular traffic on the Batote-Doda road was also suspended due to landslides and slippery conditions.
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Rashtriya Rifles troops rescued nearly 110 civilians travelling in buses, trucks and private vehicles at Tota Gali on the NH-144A around 4 am.
At Chochru Gala in Udhampur’s Basantgarh area, police rescued 12 people stuck in heavy snowfall.
The local administrations ordered closure of schools in hilly districts of Kishtwar, Doda, Udhampur, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on his X handle wrote about the damage to the power supply lines and outages. Omar said the active power load in the Valley is less than 100 Megawatts (MW) as against the usual 1700 MW.
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“As per KPDCL, the active power load in the valley is less than 100 MW as against the usual 1700 MW, essentially due to outage of almost all 33KV feeders including those feeding emergency services,” he said on X, adding that “teams are on job for rectification but extensive tree fall on the lines and the windy conditions are major hurdles to be overcome”.
The CM also said, “Damage assessment is underway but would take some time owing to prevailing weather conditions.”
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
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