Kashmir: Roads closed, flights cancelled due to heavy snowfall; avalanche alert issued
Kashmir was undergoing a dry spell of winter this year, with snowfall for the longest time, raising concerns of global warming. However, now, as per the latest news reports, Kashmir woke up to a winter wonderland on Sunday.
This snowfall has disrupted normal life, and has resulted in cancellation of flights at Srinagar airport, while traffic on the crucial Jammu-Srinagar national highway was stopped for nearly four hours following a landslide in Jammu's Ramban district. Heavy snowfall was also reported from the higher reaches of the valley, while the plains saw a moderate snowfall. The critical Jammu-Srinagar National Highway closing due to landslides, has effectively paralyzed transportation in the region.
As snow clearance operations kicked off in the early hours of Sunday, efforts intensified to make roads traffic-worthy and restore connectivity. The challenges posed by the weather indicates the region's vulnerability to sudden weather changes, and indicates the need for resilient infrastructure that is capable of withstanding and recovering from such natural events.
