Dozens of far-flung villages remain cut off in north Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 16 : Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), remained cut off with their respective district and tehsil headquarters due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.

The Sadhna top, Z-Gali and Phirkiyan pass remained closed due to moderate to heavy snowfall on Sunday night, official sources told UNI on Friday.

The road between Bandipora to border town of Gurez also remained closed due to accumulation of snow, particularly at Razdan top. There was fresh snowfall. The road is likely to reopen in March or April, he said.

Roads from Kupwara to border towns of Keran, Karnah, Machil, Tangdhar and dozens of other far-flung and remote villages, including those near LoC, also remained closed.

There was fresh snowfall early this week, a PCR official told TNN from Kupwara. He said about six inches to one feet of fresh snowfall had accumulated at Z-Gali, Phirkiyan pass and Sadhna top, where 11 people, including Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officer, were killed in a snow avalanche in January this year.

Meanwhile, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has issued fresh avalanche warning for Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts including Gulmarg, Kupwara-Chowkibal-Tangdhar sector, Furkian-Z Gali, Bandipora-Kanzalwan-Gurez sector.

The SDMA has advised people living in avalanche-prone areas to take precautionary measures.