Kamal Ghorui
SRINAGAR\JAMMU: Snowfall and savage winds up to 155kmph pulverised J&K on Friday, blocking highways, causing flight cancellations, shutting down schools, disrupting power, leaving homes roofless and forcing the suspension of Vaishno Devi pilgrimage.In the Valley, IMD reported snowfall of 55cm in Shopian, 45cm in Gulmarg, 20cm in Kupwara, 17cm in Pahalgam, 16cm in Banihal, and 15cm in Sonamarg as the weather system fed by western disturbances began its onslaught late Thursday night.In Jammu, Trikuta Hills, home to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi’s cave shrine, received the first snowfall of the season alongside Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, and Poonch. “Light to moderate rains lashed several other areas,” an official said in Jammu.The rough spell will linger. According to Mukhtar Ahmad, director of Srinagar’s Met department, a second burst of western disturbance is likely on Jan 26, preceded by light to heavy rainfall on Jan 24 and 25.Vehicular movement was stopped in both directions on the all-important Jammu-Srinagar National Highway due to fresh snowfall around Navyug Tunnel. Several other roads were blocked.At Srinagar airport, no flights moved on Friday. IndiGo said both take-offs and landings had been suspended due to snowfall. “We are closely monitoring the weather and will get you on your way as soon as conditions allow,” the airline added.Power and transmission lines took a beating. Chief minister Omar Abdullah warned of massive losses. “We can figure losses from this point that active power load in the Valley is less than 100 MW today (Friday) against the usual 1700 MW. The gusty winds disrupted the whole transmission system,” Omar, who is also power minister, said.Mehmood Ahmad Shah, MD of Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation, said several roofs fell directly on transmission lines in Srinagar and other districts, hitting electricity supply.IMD put wind speeds at 155kmph in Shopian, 80kmph in Poonch, 76kmph in Reasi, 63kmph in Jammu and 84kmph in Srinagar. In Srinagar’s busy Lal Chowk, battered roof sheets fell and piled up near Clock Tower, bringing traffic to a standstill. Similar scenes were reported from other Valley areas.“The roofs were not anchored properly to the walls,” former Kashmir chief town planner Iftikhar Hakeem said. Architect Sameer Hamdani echoed the view. “Many roofs are constructed as temporary structures, especially in shopping complexes where owners intend to add a floor,” Hamdani said.In Jammu, authorities ordered school closures in Rajouri, Reasi, Poonch and Udhampur for the safety of students and staff. Cops rescued 12 people, including children, stuck in heavy snow in Udhampur’s Chochru Galla area after a daring three-hour mission. Army troopers helped civilians stuck in buses, trucks and other vehicles in Poonch’s Tota Gali area after snowfall.
