Kashmir remained cut off from the rest of the country as Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained closed due to snow.
Paradise is reverberating again with folklores as the snow keeps the date in the harsh winter period of Chilai Kalan.
Kashmir woke up to a thick carpet of snow on Saturday bringing cheers to the people. Last year, snow had given a miss to Chilai Kalan (from Dec 21 to Jan 30) owing to climatic change. The snowfall also improved the temperature which had plummeted below freezing point in last one week.
Snowfall of the Chilai Kalan started on Friday afternoon and continued overnight creating a thick blanket of snow in Srinagar and other parts of the valley. Summer capital city of Srinagar recorded 10 inches of snowfall till 8.30 in the morning. Gulmarg witnessed two feet, Qazigund, 11 inches, Pahalgam 16 inches and Kupwara recorded 17 inches of snow till 8.30 am on Saturday.
Kashmir remained cut off from the rest of the country as Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained closed due to snow. Few flights, however, operated from Srinagar international airport while as others were cancelled due to the snowfall.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan said the essential services disrupted at some places due to the heavy snowfall across the Kashmir division were restored within hours as the administration worked round the clock.
A youth slipped to death when he was clearing snow from his rooftop in Bandiproa district of North Kashmir. Identified as Mumtaz Ahmad, he sustained grievous injuries and was rushed to the hospital. However, he succumbed to injuries in the hospital.
Tragedy struck Srinagar outskirts when five of a family died apparently due to asphyxia during the night. Police said they were found lying unconscious in their rented room in Mansoor Colony, Bemina,
“Subsequently, a police team from Police Post Bemina rushed to the spot and shifted all the five persons to JVC Hospital where doctors declared them brought dead,” said a police spokesman.
Police said the family had taken a room on rent last week as one of the family members was getting treated at JVC Hospital. Preliminary enquiry reveals they had died of asphyxia as they had kept the gas heater on to keep themselves warm.
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