Chill eases, but Kashmir freezes

Minimum temperatures rise elsewhere, but Srinagar-Jammu National highway remains closed

SRINAGAR: While there was a slight let up in the cold wave in rest of the country,  about 1000 vehicles were stranded on the 300-km long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. The highway remained closed for the fifth consecutive day on Thursday due to heavy snowfall on the Qazigund and Banihal stretch. The snowfall and landslides have cut off Kashmir from the rest of the world.

Early morning fog and mist affected the vehicular traffic on the national highways connecting Delhi, Agra, Ajmer and Udaipur. Some flights coming from Delhi were delayed due to fog in the Pink City.

Delhiites woke up to a cold but clear morning on Thursday. The minimum temperature was 6.4 degrees Celsius. Chilly conditions continued in Rajasthan where Jaisalmer was 3  degrees and Mount Abu minus 3 degrees Celsius.

Cold wave conditions eased in parts of Punjab and Haryana. Chandigarh saw the minimum temperature climb to 9 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Patiala recorded a low of 7.3 degrees Celsius.

On the other hand, Jawahar Tunnel, gateway to the Kashmir valley, experienced over 10 feet of snow in the past couple of days. The Border Roads Organisation started clearing roads after it stopped snowing for some time.

Private airlines Spicejet operated flights on Thursday afternoon after authorities cleared the runway but no other flights could operate due to poor visibility.

With the government sounding an avalanche alert, several people from Waltangu Nar in Anantnag district have shifted for safety. Some houses also caved in due to snowfall in south Kashmir. “We have evacuated six families from Panjan Nar village because of the avalanche threat. Some people in Waltangu Nar have shifted on their own and are putting up with their relations. We have established two relief camps in Lulgam where free food is being provided to the people,” said Amir Ali, coordinator of Disaster Management Committee, Kashmir.

Gulmarg witnessed the coldest night with minimum temperature dipping to minus 8.6 degrees Celsius followed by Pahalgam, which recorded a minimum of minus 3.6 degrees Celsius, a Met official said.

Kokernag recorded a minimum of minus 3.4 degrees, Srinagar minus 1.2 degrees, Kupwara minus 1 and Qazigund 0.6 degrees Celsius.

In Jammu region, Banihal was the coldest with night temperatures dipping to minus 1.5 degrees Celsius. Badherwah registered a minimum temperature of minus 1, Batote minus 0.7, Katra 7.2 and Jammu city 8.9 degrees Celsius.

h_ishfaque@dnaindia.net