Srinagar, February 26
The Kashmir valley was cut off from the rest of the country following the closure of the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway due to landslides.
A report from Baramula said one person identified as Bashir Ahmad Lone drowned in Hapatnar Nullah at Nadihal in north Kashmir.
It said a majority of nullahs were overflowing due to heavy rains.
Officials sources said heavy rains on the entire highway, the only road linking Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, triggered landslides between Ramban and Ramsu.
A huge landslide at Panthal on the highway disrupted traffic movement, sources said.
They said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway, had deployed men and sophisticated machines to clear the highway.
Hundreds of vehicles, including trucks loaded with essential commodities and passenger vehicles, are stranded on the highway.
Meanwhile, the upper reaches in the Kashmir valley experienced moderate to heavy snowfall while plains, including Srinagar city, had rain resulting in considerable drop in the temperature.
Official sources said about six inches to one feet of fresh snowfall was recorded at world famous tourist resorts of Gulmarg, Khilanmarg, Upperwat and Kongdori.
Sources said Sadhna Top, that links a number of border areas, including Tangdhar, with Kupwara experienced about six feet of fresh snowfall since yesterday.
The holy Amarnath cave shrine also experienced about two feet of fresh snowfall while about six inches to one foot of snowfall was recorded at Pissu top, Mahaguns, Sheshnag and Panjtherni.
The tourist spot of Yusmarg, Deksum, Aharabal and Sonamarg also experienced fresh snowfall since
last evening.
The Gomri and Zojila, the highest point on the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway also recorded about one foot to two feet of fresh snowfall during the past 24 hours. The highway is closed for six winter months from November 17 due to snowfall.
Roads and bylanes in most of the areas, including Badshah Nagar, Natipora, Bemina, Azad Basti, were inundated due to damaged drainage system.
SHIMLA: Widespread snow and rain over the past 24 hours broke the prolonged dry spell in the state, bringing cheer to farmers whose crops had started withering.
According to reports reaching here the tribal areas of Lahaul-Spiti, Pangi and Kinnaur have been experiencing incessant snow since wee hours of the day. The Lahaul valley had received 25 to 40 cm of snow by
this evening, while Patsio recorded 50 cm. The movement of vehicles within the valley came to a standstill due to snowfall.
The district administration of Lahaul-Spiti has cautioned the people not venture out in view of the threat of avalanches. It has been an unusually warm winter and belated snow triggered off avalanches. Reports of rain were received from the lower valley areas in Kinnaur.
The Churdhar, Dhauladhar and Rohtang pass were also having intermittent snowfall. The Hatu peak and Chanshal ranges in the upper Shimla region recorded moderate snow. The lower areas of the state were lashed by brisk showers intermittently which brought down the temperatures significantly.
Shimla and the surrounding also had moderate rain. The sky remained overcast throughout the day.
