NL Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 22
A fresh avalanche warning has been issued on Tuesday evening in the Kashmir valley and Ladakh region following moderate to heavy snowfall during the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, a snow avalanche hit one of the main gates of Jawahar Tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu national highway causing damage to it early this morning. However, no one was injured. An official spokesman said here this evening that Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan issued a fresh avalanche warning in nine avalanche prone districts of Kashmir and Ladakh.
The warning has been issued for the avalanche-prone areas in district Anantnag and Kulgam in south Kashmir, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora in north and Badgam and Ganderbal in centre. Besides, he said warning has also been issued for Kargil and Leh in Ladakh region which remained cut off from Kashmir for the past about two months due to accumulation of snow.
Rescue operations have been launched to evacuate people stranded in the tunnel but there is no report of any casualty so far.
“A snow avalanche hit Jawahar tunnel and has blocked both tubes of the tunnel from Qazigund side,” a police official said.
He said the avalanche forced suspension of traffic movement on the arterial road connecting Kashmir to rest of the country.
“Rescue operation has been launched to evacuate people stranded in the tunnel. Men and machinery are on job to clear the debris,” the official said.
Further details are awaited.
Meanwhile, the passenger ropeway service from Bhawan to Bhairon Ghati and Katra-Sanjhi Chat chopper service was suspended on Tuesday in view of another spell of snowfall at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave shrine situated in the Trikuta Hills of Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir.
There was a fresh snowfall at the cave shrine on Tuesday morning from Adh Kuwari to Bhawan, official sources here said.
They said that the cable car (passenger ropeway), chopper service, battery car and material ropeway service remained hit due to the snow.
The Vaishno Devi Yatra in 2018 broke all five year record as 86 lakhs pilgrims visited the cave shrine and paid obeisance.
Meanwhile temperature also dipped in the plains of Jammu due to snow in the upper reaches and heavy rainfall.
