CCTV cameras near a resort in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sonamarg have captured the terrifying moments when a massive avalanche struck the area late on Tuesday, even as officials confirmed that no casualties
were reported in the incident.
According to officials, the avalanche hit Sonamarg in Ganderbal district at around 10.12 pm.
The dramatic visuals, recorded by three different CCTV cameras installed in and around the area, show the sheer force and speed of the snow slide as it swept through parts of the resort zone.
In one clip, a thick wall of snow can be seen cascading down the mountainside and rapidly spreading across open ground before reaching nearby structures.
Another angle shows snow clouds engulfing buildings within seconds, reducing visibility to near zero and underlining how suddenly the avalanche struck.
A third video, shot from a different vantage point, captures the avalanche’s massive scale, with swirling snow plumes surrounding rooftops and roads as the slide moved across the area.
Authorities added that the situation was being monitored closely following the incident.
The avalanche came against the backdrop of official warnings issued earlier in the week.
Authorities had cautioned about the possibility of high-intensity avalanches in the district, and the Sonamarg incident unfolded amid those ongoing alerts.
HEAVY SNOWFALL DISRUPTS TRAVEL, VALLEY UNDER WEATHER ALERT
The snow slide occurred as fresh snowfall across Kashmir triggered widespread disruption to daily life and travel.
Snowfall that began late Monday night blanketed large parts of the Valley, forcing the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway after heavy snow accumulation near the Navyug tunnel at Qazigund and Banihal.
At Srinagar International Airport, all 58 scheduled flights, 29 arrivals and 29 departures, were cancelled as continuous snowfall rendered the runway unsafe for operations, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded.
While the plains, including Srinagar, received light to moderate snowfall, higher reaches were hit by heavy snow, transforming well-known tourist destinations such as Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Pahalgam into winter landscapes.
Train services between Banihal and Budgam were briefly suspended before being restored once tracks were cleared, while services between Srinagar and Katra continued as scheduled.
District administrations and police activated control rooms and helpline numbers to assist the public, and in snowbound areas, personnel were seen carrying patients on stretchers to ensure access to medical facilities.
The Meteorological Department has predicted further light to moderate rain or snow at most places, along with the possibility of gusty winds.
The Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Disaster Management Authority has also issued avalanche warnings for eleven districts, including a high-danger alert for areas above 2,000 metres in Ganderbal district, where Sonamarg is located, urging people to remain cautious as harsh winter conditions persist across the region.
