J&K Avalanche Caught On CCTV: Moment When Snow Storm Hit Sonamarg

Srinagar:

An avalanche struck the Sonamarg region in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. According to reports, no loss of life has been reported so far.According to initial reports, it was an high-intensity avalanche that struck Sonamarg. It occurred where several hotels are located in the inner mountain stretch, with some impact reported in the surrounding area.

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Authorities are monitoring the situation and have advised residents to exercise caution in avalanche-prone zones.According to PTI, 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.

The avalanche had struck a day after authorities on Monday warned of a high-intensity or high-danger avalanche in the district.

According to Kashmir Weather, the region is not an avalanche-prone zone as many hotels have been built in the vicinity. Initially, it looks like it (avalanche) has travelled way too long a distance before it hit the region.Meanwhile, upper regions in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have been witnessing high-intensity snowfall in the last few days, leaving thousands of tourists stranded in hotels, roads, buses, and cars who were visiting these places during winter vacation.Sonamarg, among many other places in the valley, has also received moderate to heavy snowfall over the last 24 hours.

Jammu-Srinagar National Highway Closed, Flights Cancelled Due To Heavy Snowfall

Fresh snowfall across Kashmir on Tuesday led to the closure of Jammu-Srinagar national highway and the cancellation of all flights at Srinagar airport, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded in the valley.The snowfall, which began late on Monday night, blanketed the region in white. Officials said the arterial National Highway 44 was closed due to snow accumulation near the Navyug tunnel at Qazigund and Banihal.At Srinagar International Airport, all 58 scheduled flights, including 29 arrivals and 29 departures, were cancelled. Authorities said continuous snowfall rendered the runway unsafe for operations.

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An official with the Airport Authority of India said while the weather was beyond their control, airlines were extending all cooperation, including rescheduling of the flights.Train services were also affected, with a few trains between Banihal and Budgam getting cancelled in the morning. However, officials said operations resumed after a few hours once the tracks were cleared. Services between Srinagar and Katra remained on schedule.District administrations and the police have set up control rooms and helpline numbers to assist the public. In snowbound areas where roads remained blocked, police personnel were seen carrying patients on stretchers to ensure they reached medical facilities.The Meteorological Department has predicted light to moderate rain or snow across most places, with the possibility of thunder or gusty winds in some areas. Light precipitation is also expected on Wednesday.With inputs from PTI