An elderly man died due to snow avalanche while grazing cattle near Ledge nallah in Bheemdasa area of Gool in Ramban district, today while traffic on Jammu Srinagar National Highway was stopped this evening after accumulation of one feet snow at Jawahar Tunnel.
KTNS correspondent Khawaja Sharjeel from Banihal said that 75-year-old man died due to snow avalanche while grazing cattle near Ledge nallah in Bheemdasa area of Gool in Ramban district, today.
The deceased has been identified as Abdul Sattar, 75, son of Abdul Samad of Bheemdasa, Gool.The family members informed that he went to graze his goats near the Ledge nallah on February 2.The goats returned to home but he went missing. They started searches in the area and today at about 8 AM, the dead of missing man was found buried in snow avalanche in Ledge nallah, Bheemdasa.
The cops Police station Gool also reached the spot and started investigation. A case has been registered in this regard.
Meanwhile, vehicular traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was stopped this evening after accumulation of one feet snow at Jawahar Tunnel.
Traffic officials said that flow of traffic was stopped as a precautionary measure keeping in view slippery road condition and due accumulation of one feet snow at Jawahar Tunnel. The traffic was stopped at 9.05 PM with nearly hundred heavy vehicles stranded at various places along the highway from Patnitop, officials, said, adding that no vehicle will be allowed to move on the road in the morning tomorrow as a precautionary measure.
It was raining in the low-lying areas of Jammu region with snowfall in upper reaches. The temperature declined with change in weather as predicted by the Met department due to entrance of Western Disturbances KTNS correspondent DS Ahmad from Srinagar reported that even as the authorities claimed that the highway remained open for the one way vehicular traffic today but the drivers discrediting the officials claims alleged that they were not allowed to move. Officials said that the one-way-traffic from Jammu to Srinagar moved on the road smoothly today.
"The road was open for traffic movement as per the announcement and all the vehicles reached their destinations safe. There is no vehicle stranded on the road," said Inspector General of Traffic, H K Lohia.
However, drivers who had left towards Srinagar from Jammu said that they were not allowed to move beyond Udhampur. "I reached Udhampur at around 1:30 PM but the traffic officials deputed there did not allow us to move ahead. They forced us to move back to Jammu saying that the road has been closed for traffic," said a driver, Abdul Rashid.
He said that the traffic officials even beat up many drivers who tried to move ahead. However, a traffic official said that only those vehicles were allowed to ply who crossed Udhampur by or before 11 AM.
Meanwhile, the authorities as a precautionary measure in view of the bad weather conditions have decided not to allow any traffic movement on the road in the morning tomorrow. "Keeping in view the slippery road conditions we have decided not to allow any vehicle to ply on the road tomorrow morning. And the decision to reopen the road will be taken as per the weather conditions," IG said.
KTNS correspondent Shabir Ibn Yusuf from Srinagar said that the upper reaches of valley including the tourist resort of Gulmarg today received fresh snowfall, while the night temperature has started to register an increase by several degrees.
According to the officials of Metrological Department (MeT) the snowfall started today afternoon and continued till evening. The areas which received snowfall include Keran, Karnah, Tangdhar, Machil, Sadhna, Razdan passes and villages near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir.
Less than a week ago the MeT office had predicted moderate to heavy snowfall in most parts of the Kashmir Valley between February 3 and 7.
The plains across the valley witnessed moderate rains. The area which witnessed the rains included whole of north Kashmir and Central Kashmir. Srinagar was receiving rains when this report was being filed.
The officials of MeT department added that the night temperatures in most places including Srinagar registered an increase of several degrees and moved above the freezing point for the first time in over a month.
The minimum temperature recorded in Srinagar was 2 degrees Celsius, still four degrees below normal during this part of the season, MET officials said.
Meanwhile Kashmir disaster management cell has issued advisory that there might be avalanches in upper reaches. A statement issued by cell said that on the basis of reports from SASE, the Coordinator, Divisional Disaster Management Authority has issued a Medium danger avalanche warning for higher reaches of snow bound areas of Chowkibal, Tangdhar, Machhil and Keran areas.
“People living in these areas above the height of 8000 feet have been advised not to venture into steep and avalanche prone areas and to avoid movement during snowfall,” said the statement.
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