The heavy snowfall in Jammu & Kashmir has resulted in the Srinagar airport runways getting clogged with snow and ice. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel were seen clearing the snow on the runway at the Srinagar airport with diggers.
As per the India Meteorological Department, heavy to very heavy rain/snow/hail accompanied with thunderstorm/lightning with gusty winds with speeds of up to 50 kmph at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir.
The fresh wave of snowfall brought travel and daily life in Kashmir to a standstill, forcing the closure of major highways and disrupting flight operations at Srinagar International Airport. Authorities are working to restore connectivity, but adverse weather conditions continue to pose challenges.
As per local media reports, operations at Srinagar International Airport were severely impacted as overnight snowfall blanketed the region. Local media websites quoted airport director Javid Anjum as saying that all morning flights were delayed due to the poor weather.
Major Roads Shut Down
The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway — a critical roadway for Kashmir — was blocked due to landslides and heavy snow accumulation between Ramsoo and Qazigund, as well as landslides and mudslides near the Nashri and NAVYUG Tunnel areas.
Additionally, several other key roads remain closed, including, Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) Road, which connects Ladakh, Batote-Doda Road, Bhaderwah-Chamba Road, Mughal Road and Sinthan Road.
Several Trapped Due To Snowfall And Landslides
As many as 11 labourers working at a construction site at Ujh river in Kathua were rescued by the SDRF and local police teams after the river flooded due to heavy rainfall.
"Early in the morning, 11 labourers/employees of Megha Construction Company got trapped in the flood at a construction site at Ujh River. A police team from Rajbagh, along with SDRF, reached the spot and rescued all of them. The labourers/employees have been shifted to safer locations," SDRF Inspector Mohd Iqbal said.