Heavy snowfall in Kashmir valley, avalanche warning issued

Srinagar: Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir Valley today experienced fresh snowfall, prompting the authorities to issue a warning about an avalanche warning in areas close to the Line of Control (LoC) and suspend traffic on Srinagar-Jammu national highway. It started snowing heavily in the summer capital on Thursday evening after intermittent rains throughout the day and a brief spell of snowfall on Wednesday night.

However, high altitude areas of the Valley recorded heavy snowfall since Wednesday night, the authorities said and issued a "medium danger avalanche warning" in snow-bound areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara and Bandipora districts. "People living in snow-bound areas of Naugam, Chowkibal, Machil, Tangdhar and Keran in Kupwara and Gurez sector in Bandipora have been advised not to venture in steep avalanche-prone slopes during the next 24 hours," Coordinator, Divisional Disaster Management, Aamir Ali said.

He said the warning has been issued on the basis of information received from Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) of Army. The fresh snowfall also forced closure of the 294-km Srinagar-Jammu national highway - the only road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, late on Thursday afternoon, a spokesman of the traffic Control room said.

It started snowing heavily in the summer capital on Thursday evening after intermittent rains throughout the day and a brief spell of snowfall on Wednesday night.

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