Post by : Meena Ariff

In Jammu and Kashmir, extreme cold and heavy snowfall caused a massive avalanche in the Sarbal area of Sonamarg on Tuesday night. A viral video shows snow rushing toward homes and hotels, creating a powerful and dangerous scene. Thankfully, officials confirmed that no injuries or deaths occurred during the incident.

The avalanche took place around 10:12 pm, sending a huge volume of snow cascading down the slopes toward nearby buildings. This region had already been under a high-alert avalanche warning after continuous snowfall battered the valley.

The Jammu & Kashmir Disaster Management Authority had issued avalanche warnings for 11 districts. High-risk alerts were given for areas above 2,000 meters in Ganderbal, while medium-risk warnings covered several other districts including Anantnag, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Doda.

Heavy snowfall across Kashmir on Tuesday led to major travel disruptions. The Jammu–Srinagar highway was closed, and all flights from Srinagar airport were cancelled, leaving many tourists stranded.

In a related rescue operation, the Border Roads Organisation successfully evacuated 60 people, including 40 Army personnel, stranded for nearly two days under 5-6 feet of snow at Chattergala Pass on the Bhaderwah-Chamba Road in the Doda district. This clearance took almost 40 hours of continuous effort.

Just last week, a tragic accident on the same road resulted in the deaths of 10 Army soldiers when their vehicle skidded off a mountain road at Khanni Top.

The region remains on high alert as heavy snowfall and avalanches continue to pose challenges to residents and travelers alike.

#Global News