Jammu and Kashmir receives moderate to heavy snowfall, IMD issues avalanche warning

An avalanche warning has been issued in Jammu and Kashmir by the India Meteorological department amid moderate to heavy snowfall on Wednesday. Due to the deteriorating weather condition, the areas have become vulnerable to avalanches.

The weather department has issued strict warning to the locals to not venture out of their homes and take all precautionary measures. On Tuesday, IMD had issued an orange alert in Kashmir following snowfall and heavy rains in the upper reaches in Jammu and Kashmir.

The weather department has warned that in coming days the rains and snowfall in the region may intensify. Srinagar too received a moderate dose of snowfall on Monday night. Light to moderate snowfall occurred in Kashmir on Tuesday while rain lashed the Jammu division as the weather office forecast inclement weather in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh till January 9.

Srinagar recorded the minimum temperature of 0.3 degrees Celsius, up from the Friday night’s minus 2.4 degrees Celsius. Gulmarg recorded minus 6.2 degrees Celsius while Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 1.7 degrees Celsius up from minus 6.1 degrees Celsius on Friday night.

Meanwhile, snowfall and poor visibility across Kashmir forced cancellation of 37 of the 42 scheduled flights from Srinagar International Airport on Wednesday, officials of the Airport Authority of India said.