Avalanches, lightning and flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir between Monday and Wednesday claimed 16 lives and injured 30.
Snowfall subsided on Wednesday and major roads in the Valley were cleared by late afternoon though interior roads all over the valley were still not motorable. Similarly, power supply was restored to parts of the capital but the rural districts were in darkness. Telecommunication and data services were also restored.
Official sources told The Hindu that Naik Vijay Pratap and Dharmendra Singh of the Army were killed when their shed collapsed under an avalanche at their camp at Batra in Drass area of Kargil. Three Nepalese workers died when their stone quarrying site caved in near Kargil due to heavy snowfall.
A Gujjar family's hutment collapsed at Balsaran in Damhal Hanjipora foothills of Pir Panjal mountain range, killing three inmates — Rashid Gorsi (24), Talib Gorsi (12) and Altaf Gorsi. Nine members of the family sustained injuries and were evacuated.
Three women — Rehti of Manigam Qazigund, Jana of Badipora Chadoora and Fazi of Kansu Shopian —died when their houses collapsed.
Manzoor Ahmad of Kadalbal Pampore, who was on his way from Ramsu to Ramban, was killed in a landslip in Panthal on Srinagar-Jammu highway. Two of his associates had a narrow escape.
About 100 people have been evacuated from Waltengo Naar and other hamlets of the Pir Panjal foothills to safer places in Kulgam, Anantnag, Shopian and Rajouri districts. Sources said that over 200 cattle perished in different incidents.
Out of the 23 scheduled flights on Wednesday, 18 flights operated out of Srinagar airport that remained closed on Tuesday, Superintendent of Police Anti-hijacking Manzoor Ahmad Dalal said.
SP Traffic (Highway) Haseeb Mughal told The Hindu that the Srinagar-Jammu highway was cleared of all snow and landslips at 8.00 p.m. when all the 45 Srinagar-bound stranded vehicles proceeded and crossed Jawahar Tunnel towards the Valley.
Over 1,000 trucks stranded at Qazigund would be permitted to proceed to Jammu on Thursday. He said Doda and Kishtwar districts were still cut-off due to massive landslides.
