Massive Avalanche Hits Kishtwar Valley in J&K Day After High-Intensity Snowstorm in Sonamarg - Video

Srinagar:

A massive avalanche struck the Kishtwar valley region in Jammu and Kashmir a day after a high-intensity snowstorm had struck Sonamarg.The snow storm struck the remote Warwan valley of Kishtwar district, triggering panic among local residents.According to initial reports, the avalanche came down from the upper reaches following heavy snowfall, affecting grazing areas and seasonal shelters in the regionDistrict administration has advised residents to avoid avalanche-prone areas as weather conditions remain severe. As of now, there are no reports of anybody getting injured in the avalanche.

kishtwar-avalanche

Sonamarg Witnesses High-Intensity Avalanche

On Tuesday, an avalanche hit Sonamarg tourist resort in Jammu and Kashmir, but there was no loss of life, officials said. They said the avalanche hit Sonamarg resort in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district at 10.12 pm.The massive avalanche was caught on CCTV camera, showing snow engulfing buildings, officials said. However, they added there were no reports of any loss of life.Sonamarg and most other parts of the valley received moderate to heavy snowfall over the last 24 hours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esgjVsz4Cwc

Avalanche Warning For High-Altitude Areas of Uttarakhand after Fresh Ssnowfall

Earlier on Tuesday, an avalanche warning was issued for several high-altitude areas of Uttarakhand, including Badrinath and Kedarnath, following fresh snowfall.This is the second spell of snowfall in the state within a week. Earlier, heavy snowfall on January 23 had blanketed high-altitude areas.In view of the snowfall and the possibility of avalanches in the high-altitude areas, the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority has alerted all districts.According to the forecast issued by the Chandigarh-based Defence Geo-Informatics Research Establishment (DGRE), snowfall and avalanches are likely in various high-altitude areas from 5 pm on January 27 to 5 pm on January 28.Intermittent snowfall has been reported since Monday night in Badrinath in Chamoli district and Kedarnath and the surrounding peaks in Rudraprayag district, and the higher reaches of Uttarkashi district.Chakrata also witnessed snowfall in the evening, attracting a large number of tourists, while the ski resort of Auli received fresh snow.In the Kumaon region, high peaks around Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district also received snowfall. Meanwhile, light to moderate rainfall was recorded in lower areas.According to the warning issued by the DGRE, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Rudraprayag have been placed in the 'orange' category, indicating deep and unstable snow cover on most avalanche paths with a high likelihood of natural avalanches that could reach valley floors.In this situation, only limited movement along selected and relatively safe routes is considered appropriate, and any activity on snow-covered slopes can be risky.Pithoragarh district has been placed in the 'yellow’ category, where unstable snow is present on some avalanche paths, with the possibility of small natural avalanches in limited areas. Movement in valley areas is possible with caution, but venturing onto snow-covered slopes should be avoided.As a precautionary measure amid inclement weather, schools up to class 12 have been closed in Tehri, Uttarkashi, Almora, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar districts.With inputs from PTI