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8 tourists rescued after avalanche hits Sonamarg
Officials said that the avalanche struck Hung area and two vehicles on the way to the Sonamarg resort were buried under the snow
Amid intermittent rainfall in Kashmir, two small passenger vehicles carrying eight to 10 tourists were rescued after they under an avalanche in Sonamarg in Ganderbal district on Friday.
Officials said that the avalanche struck Hung area and two vehicles on the way to the Sonamarg resort were buried under the snow. Sonamarg station house officer (SHO) Zahoor Ahmad said that all the travellers were rescued safely.
“There were eight to 10 people in the two vehicles and they were pulled out from the back side of the vehicles after breaking the glass panes,” he said.
Owing to the intermittent and widespread rains across the Kashmir Valley, the J&K disaster management authority issued an avalanche warning for four districts of the Valley.
“Avalanche with medium danger level is likely to occur above 2,400 metres in Kupwara, Bandipura, Ganderbal and Baramulla districts in next 24 hours,” it said in an update.
“People living in these areas are advised to take precautions and avoid venturing in the avalanche prone areas,” the advisory added.
Kashmir witnessed widespread rains for the second consecutive day on Friday and some higher reaches also received light snowfall.
The meteorological centre in Srinagar said in an update that overnight rains were recorded across the Union Territory, with the highest 25 mm rainfall in summer capital Srinagar and 20 mm in Jammu’s Banihal in 24 hours ending in the morning.
“Throughout the day, there was intermittent rainfall in the region,” a MeT official said.
MeT Srinagar centre’s director Mukhtar Ahmad said that light to moderate rain and snow in higher reaches at most places and heavy rain and snow at isolated places was expected on Saturday as well.
“On March 31, weather will be partly to generally cloudy with intermittent light rain and snow at few places,” he said in an update.
He added that the precipitation will cause disruption of surface transportation over important passes. “Travellers and tourists are advised to plan accordingly particularly while the farmers are advised to suspend farm operations till 31st March,” he added.
Ahmed said that there is also the possibility of landslides, mudslides and shooting stones during the above period. “ Thunderstorms and lightning activity with possibility of hailstorm & gusty winds during March 29 and 30 can’t be ruled out,” the update added.
He said that April will start on a generally dry note. “ From April 1 to 5, there will be generally dry weather with light rain at isolated places on April 3,” the director said.
