KL Report

SRINAGAR

At least 10 people including two army personnel have died in Jammu and Kashmir due to unprecedented snowfall while property worth crores of rupees has been damaged. Almost whole of Kashmir Valley is reeling under darkness for the second consecutive day while snow accumulated streets and roads and water logging is giving nightmare to the people of Valley.

The power supply to the capital city as well as to the entire Kashmir valley has been completely shut down from Tuesday afternoon and all the related services — including drinking water supply, essential supplies, sewerage and drainage and other civic services — have collapsed.

According to CNS, an avalanche hit Balsareen near Dudhkuchan some 20 kilometres from Damal Hanjipora area of South Kashmir on Wednesday.

Reports said that several houses were damaged due to avalanche while 15 people were trapped. Sources said that the bodies of three persons were recovered that were buried under snow. They according to sources have been identified as Talib Hussain, Abdul Rashid and Altaf Hussain.

Nine persons were injured who were shifted to local hospital for treatment. The injured have been identified as Siraj-u-Din Gorsi, Khadija Banoo, Manzoor Gorsi, Fatima Banoo, Latif Gorsi, Shoki Jan, Gulzara Akhtar, Bashir Ahmed and Aisha Akhtar.

On Tuesday, authorities had extended the high danger avalanche warning to more areas in the higher reaches and asked the people not to venture on steep slopes for the next 24 hours.

Reports said that due to avalanche at Balsareen Kulgam least 82 cattle buried alive under snow.

A police spokesman said 14 Gujjar families comprising 65 persons were shifted from Waltengo Nard area of Qazigund in Kulgam district to safer places due to threat of avalanches.

“On the basis of information from SASE, State Disaster Management Authority has issued a fresh high danger avalanche warning for hilly areas of Uri, Tangdhar, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Budgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Kargil,” an official spokesman said. He said people living in these snowbound areas have been requested to take precautions and not to venture on steep slopes in the next 24 hours.

Reports said that at least two Army personnel lost their lives after an avalanche hit their camp in Kargil sector of Ladakh region. Police identified the deceased Army jawans as , Naik Vijay Prasad and Dharmindra Singh of 82 field regiment. Police further said that three Nepali labourers were killed when an avalanche hit a stone quarry at Kaksar in Kargil.

Police said that a 48-year-old woman died after her tin shed collapsed due to heavy snowfall at Mimigam village in Qazigund area. A woman was critically injured in Shaheed Ganj area of Srinagar city when the roof of a shed collapsed.

Official sources said that in South Kashmir’s Kansu hamlet of Shopian town, an elderly woman died after her house collapsed under the weight of snow.Two other family members were rescued. Superintendent of Police Shopian, Showkat Hussain while confirming the death said that roof collapse resulted in her death.

The heavy snowfall disrupted life in whole Valley. All services including mobile internet services, rail services, and air traffic was affected. Whole Kashmir Valley reeled under darkness for the consecutive second day while the authorities said that the restoration work was in process. They said that both the power transmission lines connecting Jammu and northern grid to Srinagar shut down due to heavy snowfall. The snowfall damaged transmission and distribution networks since Monday.

Reports said that in South Kashmir’s Shopian town scores of residential houses were damaged due to recent snowfall. Reports of damage and destruction have been reported from Imam Sahab, Kellar, Wagam, Meemandar Shopian while in North Kashmir’s Sopore town different sheds of Colour Coated Seed industry were completely damaged.

At least six residential houses were completely damaged in different parts of Kulgam district. These houses belonged to Nazir Shiekh and Ghulam Ahmed Khan residents of Guddar, Ghulam Mohi-u-Din (Banghal), Nazir Malik (Aadpora), Abdul Majid Magray (CR Pora), Mushtaq Ahmed and Wali Muhammad Wagey residents of Akhal Kulgam.

In South Kashmir’s Samboora area of Pampore town three houses, a garage and car was damaged due to snowfall. The Snatro vehicle (JK01T-3441) belonging to one Javid Ahmed Lone was damaged under the weight of snow. The residential houses of Abdul Rashid Bhat, Manzoor Ahmed Bhat and Muhammad Rajab Mantoo were also damaged in Nehama Pampore.

Government Middle School Hanjivera, Pattan was damaged when it came under a heavy chinar. Locals praised Army soldiers for clearing all the roads from Pattan to Narbal area.

The shrine of Said-u-Din (RA) was heavily damaged when it came under a Chinar. Reports said that in Mujhgund area various residential houses were damaged.

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Shah Faisal said that Power Development Department suffered heavy losses as most of the electric wires and poles have been uprooted. “Three residential houses were completely damaged in Gurez sector while in Khotran area one Government Middle School was damaged. As per information available with me, 13 houses have been damaged in the district,” he said adding that power and drinking water supply has been restored in the district.

People from South Kashmir’s Pulwama town alleged that administration was caught napping from last two days. “There is no electricity and trees that have been uprooted at many places have not been lifted yet,” one of the residents Mukhtiyar Ahmed Bhat of Pulwama said adding that a family had to pay Rs 5000 to a JCB driver to clear the road near Ghusso to reach the district hospital as his wife Tasleema Bano was suffering from labour pain.

Deputy Commissioner Baramullah, Farooq Ahmed Lone said that more than 100 structures have been damaged at different places including Uri, Boniyar, Tangmarg and upper reaches of Rafiabad. He said that in Sopore town the sheds of JK Industries were collapsed.

Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Saughat Biswas said that at least 250 structures have been damaged in the district. “All the roads have been cleared while power supply has been restored in different parts of the town,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Budgam Khurshid Ahmed said that a lady died in the district after the roof of a shed collapsed. He said that at least 600 structures have been damaged due to heavy snowfall. DC Budgam further said that orchards and fruit tree have also suffered extensive damage.

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