Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 24: Jammu-Srinagar National Highway reopened for vehicular traffic on Sunday after remaining closed for two days due to continuous snowfall which also brought in a fresh spell of cold wave conditions across Kashmir valley.
"The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway reopened for vehicular traffic today and vehicles were allowed to come from Jammu towards Srinagar," a spokesman of the traffic department said.
The only road-link connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country was closed for traffic for two days due to continuous snowfall on either side of Jawahar tunnel in south Kashmir.
The snowfall, which began in the hilly areas of the valley on Friday, brought down the mercury by several degrees and also resulted in a decrease in day temperatures.
According to a Met department official, Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 1.7 degrees Celsius and received snowfall and rains equivalent to 1.7 mm rainfall.
He said the gateway town of Qazigund recorded a minimum temperature of 0.2 degree Celsius, while the night temperature in Kokernag settled at a minimum of minus 0.3 degree Celsius.
Qazigund and Kokernag received snowfall and rains equivalent to 14.6 mm and 16.8 mm of rainfall respectively, he added.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg, which shivered at minus 5.6 degrees Celsius the previous night, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday night, the official said, adding that the tourist destination received snowfall and rains equivalent to 5.6 mm of rainfall.
The mercury in Pahalgam, in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 2.4 degrees Celsius, and the resort received snowfall and rains equivalent to 18.6 mm of rainfall, he said.He said the minimum temperature recorded in Kupwara was 0.5 degree Celsius.
While Kargil was the coldest recorded place in the state at minus 7.8 degrees Celsius, Leh town saw the mercury rise to minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, he said.
The previous night's low in the twin towns was minus 11.0 degrees Celsius and minus 5.0 degrees Celsius respectively. |
