The meteorological department Sunday predicted widespread snow and rains in Kashmir in next 24 hours, even as the Valley experienced slight improvement in the weather conditions.
A meteorological department official said minimum temperatures improved across the Valley due to the nightlong cloud cover.
In the past 24 hours, there was light snowfall in some of the state’s higher reaches, he said. On Sunday, the flights operated normally from the Srinagar airport, senior superintendent of police (airport) Tahir Saleem Khan.
The traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link of Kashmir with rest of the world, also plied normally, a traffic police official said here.
He said the intending highway travelers must contact the traffic control units in Srinagar and Jammu before leaving for their destinations on Monday.
Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded minus 0.3 degree Celsius as the minimum temperature Sunday, compared to Saturday’s minus 3.0 degree Celsius.
The minimum temperature improved to minus 3.0 degree Celsius in the tourist resort of Pahalgam in southern Kashmir, compared to Saturday’s minus 4.4 degree Celsius there.
The ski-resort of Gulmarg in northern Kashmir recorded minus 4.6 degree Celsius, he said.
Leh town in Ladakh region recorded a low of minus 9.7 degrees Celsius while its adjoining Drass town recorded a low of minus 12.8 degree Celsius, the official said.
Jammu city recorded 9.5 degree Celsius, Katra town 10.6 degree Celsius, Batote 4.3 degree Celsius, Banihal 2.2 degree Celsius and Bhaderwah 2.0 degree Celsius as the minimum temperature, the official said.
LADAKH AVALANCHE: NO OTHER BODY RECOVERED
Meanwhile, the rescue teams have not been able to find any other body at Khardungla Top in Ladakh region on Sunday and the operation has been halted owing to bad weather, officials said.
Two vehicles carrying 10 civilians were swept away and buried under an avalanche of approximately 20 feet depth and 800 meter length at Khardungla Top on Friday morning. So far, seven bodies have been recovered from the avalanche site.
“The rescue operation continued on Sunday but we could not find any other body,” deputy inspector general of police V K Birdi told Greater Kashmir.
“Some jackets were found by the rescuers today,” he said.
Birdi said the operation has been halted owing to bad weather in the area.
“It is snowing in the area and there is no safety for the rescue teams,” he said.
“Rescue operation will be started again on Monday morning,” Birdi said.
The senior police officer said that the seven bodies were airlifted to Zanskar on Sunday morning and handed over to their families.
On Friday, the avalanche hit the area when civilians were digging up snow. Later, a rescue operation was carried out jointly by the police, army, SDRF and other agencies.
