Srinagar, Jan 23 (JKNS): After a prolonged dry spell, gusty winds gripped several parts of Kashmir late Thursday evening, marking the onset of a fresh weather disturbance across the Valley, officials said.
Details available with news agency JKNS stated that, Snowfall first commenced in parts of north Kashmir and Shopian district of south Kashmir, while light to moderate rains lashed several other areas during the night.
By Friday morning, many parts of the Valley were seen covered under a white blanket of snow, disrupting normal life.
The inclement weather, accompanied by strong winds, also led to disruption of electricity supply in many areas, while air and road connectivity across Jammu and Kashmir was adversely affected.
Officials said bad weather is hampering restoring the supply, however will try our best to get supply restored.
As many as seven flights to and from Srinagar Airport were cancelled on Friday morning due to a NOTAM in force at Delhi Airport and adverse weather conditions, including ongoing snowfall at Srinagar, officials said.
Officials at Srinagar Airport told news agency JKNS that multiple flights operating on the Srinagar–Delhi sector and other routes were cancelled as of 7:30 am, affecting both arrivals and departures. The disruptions were attributed to operational restrictions at Delhi Airport and poor visibility caused by snowfall at Srinagar Airport.
Passengers have been advised to check the latest flight status with their respective airlines before heading to the airport. Authorities expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to travellers, adding that further updates would depend on weather and operational conditions.
Meanwhile, traffic movement across key highways in Jammu and Kashmir has been severely affected due to fresh snowfall.
As per a traffic update issued at 0600 hours, vehicular movement has been stopped in both directions on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) due to fresh snowfall in and around the Navyug Tunnel. In addition, the Mughal Road, SSG Road and Sinthan Road have also been closed owing to fresh snow accumulation.
People have been advised not to travel on the above-mentioned roads until they are fully restored and declared safe for traffic.
Authorities have urged commuters not to pay heed to rumours and to verify road status through official Traffic Police channels, including the Traffic Police Twitter handle @Traffic_hqrs, Facebook page facebook.com/jammuandkashmirtrafficpolice, or Traffic Control Units (TCUs):
• TCU Jammu: 0191-2459048, 0191-2740550, 9419147732, 103
• TCU Srinagar: 0194-2450022, 2485396, 18001807091, 103
• TCU Ramban: 9419993745, 1800-180-7043
Authorities said the situation is being closely monitored and further updates will be issued as weather conditions improve. (JKNS)
