Srinagar, March 16: Over 200 tourists stranded at Sinthan Top in southern Kashmir’s Anantnag district have been safely rescued. The Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted a joint operation to evacuate these individuals amidst heavy snowfall.
According to the Indian Army, soldiers from the 19 National Rifles initiated the rescue mission in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Police (Anantnag). This action was taken as continuous snowfall, slippery roads, and low visibility left many vehicles and travelers trapped in the area.
Despite challenging weather conditions and difficult terrain, the joint teams successfully transported 214 stranded tourists and local residents to safe locations. The Indian Army reported that this rescue operation was carried out under extremely challenging circumstances, ensuring the safety of everyone trapped in the high mountain pass.
The weather remains cold across various major cities in the Kashmir Valley. On Monday, Gulmarg recorded a temperature of approximately 0.4 degrees Celsius, with calm winds and humidity at 100 percent. Jammu city experienced a temperature of 14 degrees Celsius, with winds blowing at around 20.4 kilometers per hour and humidity at 94 percent. Pahalgam recorded a temperature of 1.8 degrees Celsius, also with calm winds.
In Srinagar, the temperature was noted at 6.5 degrees Celsius, with northeast winds at about 3.7 kilometers per hour and humidity at 94 percent. Banihal recorded a temperature of 5.2 degrees Celsius, while Katra saw a temperature of 9.8 degrees Celsius, with northwest winds at about 3.7 kilometers per hour. Kupwara recorded a temperature of 4.4 degrees Celsius.
Previously, fresh snowfall in the higher regions of Jammu and Kashmir and rain in the plains led to a significant drop in temperatures on Sunday, marking the first time since February that temperatures fell below normal. Areas such as Pir Ki Gali, Sinthan Top, Margan Top, Gulmarg, Doodpathri, Gurez Valley, Sadhna Top, upper Pahalgam, and the Sonmarg-Zojila route received between 4 to 6 inches of snowfall.
Due to slippery roads, the Guraz-Bandipora road, which connects Kashmir to Kargil and Leh, and the Sonmarg-Zojila road were closed to vehicular traffic. The police administration also shut down the Mughal Road, which connects Kashmir to the Pir Panjal region. Additionally, the routes connecting Kashmir to the Chenab Valley via Sinthan Top and Margan Top were also closed.
Light to moderate snowfall was reported in several parts of Kishtwar district in the Jammu division, including the twin valleys of Marwah and Warwan, as well as the upper areas of Ramban district.
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