Fresh snowfall results in severe cold in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jun 12 : Fresh snowfall on the upper reaches in the Kashmir valley and Drass in Ladakh region and rains in plains resulted in considerable drop in the temperature forcing people to wear warm cloths.

The 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway was through for traffic while all incoming and outgoing flights operated normally despite rains. However, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh highway was closed due to dry day today.

A repot from Drass said ''Tiger and Tololing hill'', which hit the headlines in 1999 when both the heights were occupied by the Pakistani intruders, recorded fresh snowfall resulting in severe cold.

It said upper reaches on both sides of Zojila-Drass road also experienced about one feet of fresh snowfall. However, there was rains in Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia.

A traffic police official told UNI that no traffic was allowed on the Srinagar-Leh highway today because of dry day. Every Monday is a dry day during which the Border Roads Organisation (BRO),responsible for the maintenance of the road, undertakes necessary repair work, he said.

The road reopened last month after remaining closed for more than six months due to heavy snowfall.

The upper reaches in the Kashmir valley, including holy Amarnath cave shrine, Pisso Top, Mahaguns, Sheshnag, Chandanwari and Pahalgam also experienced snowfall and heavy rains forcing authorities to suspend the pilgrimage.

The summer capital, Srinagar and its adjoining areas, experienced rains since early this morning resulting in considerable drop in the temperature. Warm cloths and room heaters are back because of severe cold.

The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg also experienced rains, much to the delight of tourists who had come from plains where the heat wave has already claimed several lives.

UNI