Seasons first snowfall in Kashmir, plains experience rains

Srinagar, oct 13 (UNI) The upper reaches in Kashmir valley experienced the season's first snowfall while plains received rains resulting in considerable drop in the temperature and forcing people to wear woollens.

However, the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu and 434-km-long Srinagar- Leh national highways are through for traffic despite light snowfall and rains.

A spokesman of the Gandola cable car project told UNI that Khilanmarg, Afarwat and other upper reaches experienced snowfall since early this morning.

''Few inches of snowfall had accumulated on the slopes,'' he said, adding it was raining in Gulmarg and other adjoining areas.

He said a record number of tourists, mostly skiers, visited Gulmarg during the last winter when about six to eight feet of snowfall was recorded.

A report from the holy Amarnath cave said it was heavily snowing in the entire periphery since early this morning. About one feet of snowfall was recorded, it said.

The Sheshnag, Mahaguns, Pissu Top and Panjtherni also experienced snowfall.

The other upper reaches in the north and south Kashmir also experienced snowfall.

The upper reaches in Sonamarg on the Srinagar-Drass road also received snowfall.

The plains, including the summer capital of Jmmu and Kashmir, also experienced rains disrupting normal life because of icy cold winds.

UNI BAS QAB AK RK1712