On Friday, February 28, heavy snowfall blanketed several areas of Jammu and Kashmir, covering highways and mountains under thick layers of snow. The snowfall has severely disrupted traffic, leading to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway near Qazigund and Banihal. Landslides were also reported at multiple locations between Banihal and Ramban.
The Srinagar-Ladakh national highway was also closed due to heavy snowfall at Zojila Pass, further restricting movement in the region.
According to the meteorological department, weather conditions are expected to improve by the afternoon.
Images from the region show snow-covered roads, mountains, trees, and towns. Areas such as Rajouri, Doda, Bhalesa, and Anantnag received significant snowfall, causing a sharp drop in temperatures and transforming the landscape into a snowy expanse.
As reported by the news agency ANI, the higher elevations of the Pir Panjal mountain range saw snowfall after a prolonged dry spell, while lower areas experienced rainfall.
At Srinagar airport, the Border Roads Organisation worked to clear snow from the runway after fresh snowfall. Similar efforts were undertaken in Pahalgam to keep the roads accessible despite ongoing snow accumulation.
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While the snowfall disrupted daily life across Jammu and Kashmir, some residents welcomed the winter spectacle. Farmers, who typically view heavy snowfall as a challenge, expressed unexpected satisfaction with the fresh snow, according to ANI.
In addition to Jammu and Kashmir, the Lahaul and Spiti regions of Himachal Pradesh also experienced heavy snowfall. Following this, local police issued an avalanche alert for the region on Friday, according to an official advisory cited by ANI.
The advisory said, “According to the DGRE and HPSDMA, there is a snow avalanche warning (Danger Level 3, Orange) in District Lahaul & Spiti up to 28th February 2025 (1700 hrs. IST) (enclosed). According to the advisory, medium-size avalanche triggering is possible on few extreme slopes and restriction of movement to only safe routes is advised.”
The locals and travellers have been advised to be cautious and limit movement to designated safe routes.
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(With ANI inputs)
