SRINAGAR: Several people were feared dead after a vehicle they were traveling in skidded off the road fell into a deep gorge in Baramulla’s Boniyar area, 80 kilometers from here this afternoon, the officials said.
The deadly accident has taken place as heavy rains lashed the plains while upper reaches and hill towns experienced snowfall during the past four days. The roads have become slippery due to continuous rains and snowfall across Kashmir Valley and mountainous areas of Jammu region.
A local news gathering agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) quoting officials said that a passenger vehicle on way to Uri fell into a gorge near Bujithala this afternoon.
The official said that several people are feared dead in the incident even as rescue operation has been launched. Unconfirmed reports said that the ill-fated vehicle was carrying at least 15 persons at the time of the accident.
The weather department has already issued advisory for cautious driving and travel on the roads as the rains and snowfall continued across Jammu and Kashmir.
Unconfirmed reports said that nine persons have been feared dead in this accident. The rescue operations were continuing till the reports last reports came in till late this evening.
Two other persons are reported to have been killed in an accident in Kishtwar of Chenab Valley region on Wednesday. The exact number of persons traveling in the vehicle could not be ascertained.
The government has announced ex-gratia relief in favour of next of kin of those killed and those injured in the two accidents.
The details of both the accidents are still awaited due to communication with the rescue teams in both the accident sites.
Rains, snowfall continue
Rains lashed Srinagar and other plains while Pahalgam, Kokernag and Gulmarg received snowfall along with higher reaches in Kashmir Valley, officials said on Wednesday.
A Meteorological Department official here news agencies that in last 24 hours till 0830 hours, Srinagar received 1.9 mm of rain, Qazigund 1.2 mm, Kupwara 8 mm, while Pahalgam received 2.6 cms of snowfall, Kokernag 1.2 cms, Gulmarg 25 cms. Jammu region also received rains with winter capital, Jammu, receiving 5.7 mm, Banihal 14.6 mm, Katra 6.2 mm, Doda 6.4 mm and Bhaderwah 10.4 mm.
The night temperature recorded a rise with Srinagar recording a low of 2.2°C against 0.8°C on previous night and it was 2.9°C above normal for the summer capital of J&K for this time of the year.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of 0.4°C, same as on the previous night, he said. The minimum temperature was 2.4°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, the MeT official said.
Pahalgam recorded a low of 0.1°C against minus 3.3°C on the previous night and it was 6.2°C above normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 0.2°C against 0.7°C on the previous night and the temperature was above normal by 2.2°C for the place, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of 1.3°C against 0.3°C on the previous night and it was 3.6°C above normal there, the official said.
Gulmarg, the official said, recorded a low of minus 3.0°C against minus 6.0°C on the previous night and the temperature was 4.4°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir.
Jammu, he said, recorded a minimum of 10.9°C and it was above normal by 2.5°C for the winter capital of J&K.
Banihal recorded a low of 1.0°C, Batote 3.0°C and Bhaderwah 1.2°C, he said.
Regarding forecast, he said, there is possibility of light to moderate rain/snow at many places of J&K with chances of heavy snowfall over few higher reaches in many districts (Kupwara, Bandipora, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag till February 1.
On February 2, he said, generally dry weather with possibility of light snow at isolated higher reaches.
From February 3-4, he said, there is possibility of light to moderate rain and snow at many places of J&K.
From February 5-10, he said, generally dry weather is expected.
As ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harsh period of winter ended, Kashmir is presently in the middle of 20-day-long winter period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that ends on February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which starts from February 20 to March 1.
National Highway, peripheral road conditions
Slippery road conditions will continue on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and other peripheral roads as moderate to heavy snowfall has been forecast over higher reaches of J&K during next 36-48 hours while moderate rain/snow over plains of Jammu and Kashmir during same period.
Heavy snowfall is also possible over Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Doodhpatri, Sonamarg, Peer Ki Gali, Sinthan Pass, higher reaches of Kupwara, Bandipora, Kulgam, Anantnag and Ganderbal during the next 48 hours.
Shopian-Surankote Mughal Road, which connects South Kashmir to Poonch, has already been closed due to heavy snowfall at Pir Ki Gali, which usually received several meters of snowfall with the onset of winter season. Anantnag-Kishtwar Road via Sinthen Pass is also reported to have been closed due to heavy snowfall. Several peripheral roads connecting different towns in the mountain belts have been closed.
The National Highway has witnessed intermittent disruption in vehicular traffic movement since January 27 and similar conditions will continue at least in the next one week. Some of the stretches on the Highway also experienced landslides and shooting stones due to bad weather conditions.
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