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172 people stranded in avalanche-hit Ganderbal evacuated by army
There has been light to moderate snowfall in Kashmir intermittently since January 8, mostly on the higher reaches, but widespread snow and rains were witnessed on Friday
The Indian Army has evacuated at least 172 persons from a workshop of the Zojila tunnel project which was hit by an avalanche at Sarbal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Saturday. There was no loss of life or property in the Saturday event, officials said on Sunday.
However, two workers of the company -- Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) -- which is building the Zojila tunnel were killed after an avalanche hit the Sarbal area on Thursday. Two simultaneous avalanches had again hit the area on Saturday.
“The second avalanche on Saturday was so strong that the workshop area with 172 workers was completely cut off from the main location of MEIL. The project manager approached the Indian Army for assistance to rescue the stranded workers,” defence PRO Col Emron Musavi said.
Meanwhile, authorities have issued an avalanche warning with ‘low-danger level’ for 11 districts till Monday.
The avalanches are likely to occur above 2,000 metres over Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban and Reasi in the next 24 hours, the state disaster management authority said.
At -10.9°C, Pahalgam experiences its lowest temperature this season
The minimum temperature on Sunday plunged to -10.9 degrees Celsius at Pahalgam in south Kashmir, around four degrees lower than the normal and the lowest at the tourist resort this season so far, meteorological (MeT) department said.
The MeT update said ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir experienced the night temperature at -10.4 degrees against the previous night’s -11 degrees.
There has been light to moderate snowfall in Kashmir intermittently since January 8, mostly on the higher reaches, but widespread snow and rains were witnessed on Friday.
Temperatures have now dropped below the freezing point at all weather stations owing to clear skies during night.
The MeT update said that Srinagar recorded a low of -0.6°C against last night’s -0.1°C.
North Kashmir’s frontier district of Kupwara near Line of Control witnessed -1.3°C, while it was -1.4°C in South Kashmir’s Kokernag.
Jammu division’s three out of six weather stations - Bhaderwah, Banihal and Batote -witnessed subzero temperatures at -3.2°C, -2.7°C and -1.2°C, respectively.
Jammu city witnessed 4.6°C, while it was 7.6°C in Kathua.
The MeT office has predicted mainly dry weather between January 14 and 18 after which fresh western disturbances are likely to affect J&K from January 19 to 24.
MeT deputy director Mukhtar Ahmad said that J&K is witnessing partly to generally cloudy sky with moderate to dense fog over plains of Jammu.
“Fall in minimum temperature is expected till January 18 and gradual rise thereafter. Moderate to dense fog is most likely in plains of Jammu till then,” he added.
