Several higher reaches of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were lashed with season's first major snowfall on Monday that affected normal life and forced closure of the key Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Heavy snowfall delayed the departure of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Uttarakhand counterpart Trivendra Singh Rawat for Badrinath after they had offered prayers at Kedarnath temple and attended a ceremony for the closure of its portals for winter. Heavy snowfall will drop the minimum temperature in north and northwest India. The two chief ministers had arrived at Kedarnath on Sunday and were scheduled to leave for Badrinath temple after the closure of Kedarnath gates at 8.30 am on Monday.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), in Kashmir, authorities issued an avalanche warning for four districts as the higher reaches of the Union Territory received moderate to heavy snowfall. Hill stations of Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam and higher reaches in Kupwara, Baramulla, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag districts received fresh snow during the last 12 hours. The avalanche warning has been issued in Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla districts of north Kashmir, and Ganderbal district in central Kashmir, officials said.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with rest of the country, was closed for traffic following snowfall around Jawahar Tunnel and landslides from the hillocks at several places in Ramban district, officials said. Heavy snowfall in the Union Territory also affected traffic on major roads.
The alternate link between the valley and rest of the country, Mughal Road, also remained closed for the third day as high-altitude areas experienced snowfall, while plains of Jammu and other parts were lashed by rains since Sunday afternoon, the officials said.
Upper Himalayan areas in Uttarakhand received the season's first heavy snowfall, intensifying cold conditions across the state. Snowfall began at all places in the upper
Himalayan areas including Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Auli and Harsil on Sunday night and continued till Monday morning, wrapping them in thick, white sheets of snow, according to officials.
Heavy snowfall delayed the departure of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Uttarakhand counterpart Trivendra Singh Rawat for Badrinath after they had offered prayers at Kedarnath temple and attended a ceremony for the closure of its portals for winter.
The two chief ministers were in Kedarnath as their helicopter could not take off due to the inclement weather.
The portals of Kedarnath were closed for winters on the occasion of Bhai Dooj on Monday. This year, 1,35,023 pilgrims visited Kedarnath, which had a delayed and restricted opening for devotees due to COVID-19.
Several areas in Manali, upper Shimla and Kinnaur districts were cut off and link roads closed as Sangla, Kufri, Narkanda, Kharaptthar and other higher hills received the first snowfall of the season in Himachal Pradesh. Key tourist destinations Sangla, Narkanda, Khadrala, Kharaptthar and Shillaru and Kufri, were covered under 25 cm, 20 cm, 19 cm, 18 cm,15 cm, 12 cm and 10 cm of snowfall.