Snowfall cuts off Indian-controlled Kashmir for 2nd day
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail
Xinhua, January 17, 2012
A moderate to heavy snowfall going on in summer capital city Srinagar and other districts Monday kept Indian-controlled Kashmir cut for the second-straight day, officials said.
The snowfall has affected air service to the region for the second day, forcing cancellation of all scheduled flights to and from Srinagar airport.
"No civilian flights could operate from Srinagar International airport during the past two days because of inclement weather," said an official posted at airport. "We are hopeful that air service will resume from Tuesday."
The heavy snowfall has also cut off Muslim majority areas of the region from winter capital, Jammu and rest of Indian states as the 294 km Srinagar, and Jammu road remains closed for vehicular traffic. Officials cited slippery conditions and accumulation of snow on road for its closure.
Hundreds of vehicles are reported stranded on the highway because of the road blockade. The closure of the road usually results in escalation of prices and shortage of essential commodities in the market.
The road closure has triggered a shortage of cooking gas in the region. Authorities to meet the growing demand ordered a strict ration on the gas.
A top official of the region directed the gas companies to sell cylinders filled with just five kg of gas instead of a 15 kg refill. The order will remain in force until road is reopened for vehicular traffic.
The decision has deflated the claim of local Government that it has enough stocks for the winter, residents said.
The snowfall started Saturday late evening and continues since then. The accumulation of snow has hampered the movement of vehicular traffic on the roads leading to Srinagar.
The snowfall earlier this month plunged entire region into darkness because of the damage to electricity supply lines and added to the miseries and hardships of the residents.
On Sunday authorities issued an avalanche warning in upper reaches and areas close to the line-of-control (LoC) following reports from Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE). The people inhabiting areas above the height of 7,500 feet were advised not to venture in avalanche prone areas.
"On the basis of information received from SASE, a medium danger avalanche warning for higher reaches of Khilanmarg, Uri, Chowkibal, Tangdhar, Keran, Machil and Gurez has been issued," said Aamir Ali, Coordinator Disaster Management Cell. "People in these areas are advised to keep clearing the snow from the roof tops of their houses to avoid any causality due to roof collapse," Ali said.
LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into Indian and Pakistani controlled parts.
The Meteorological official in Srinagar said the snowfall is likely to stop by Monday night.
"The snowfall going on here is because of the western disturbance, which is likely to start weakening this evening," said a meteorological official.
At present the region is in the grip of harshest 40-day period of winter, locally called Chilla Kalan. During this period from Dec. 21 to Jan. 31 the region mostly the valley remains under extreme cold due to below-freezing night temperatures.
