Sadhna, Z-Gali, Phirkiyan closed after fresh snowfall
Srinagar, Feb 21 : Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), were cut off with their respective district and tehsil headquarters, following closure of Sadhna top, Z-Gali and Phirkiyan due to fresh snowfall on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, the Razdan pass, connecting border town of Gurez, surrounded by Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) from three sides remained closed due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions since last week.
There was few inches of fresh snowfall early this morning in the upper heights in north Kashmir forcing authorities to suspend traffic from Kupwara to different border areas, a Police Control Room (PCR) official told UNI over phone from Kupwara.
He said there was three to four inches of fresh snowfall at Sadhna top, Z-Gali and Phirkyan. Because of slippery road conditions, traffic to Keran, Karnah, Machil, Tangdhar and other far-flung and remote villages was suspended as a precautionary measure, he said. Eleven people, including an officer of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), were killed after being swept away by a snow avalanche in the first week of January this year at Sadhna top.
A medium danger avalanche warning for Fhirkiyan, Z-Gali, Kupwara-Chowkibal and Tangdhar was issued for 24 hours on Tuesday evening.
He said there was light rain in Kupwara town while upper heights, including areas near LoC, received fresh snowfall.
Traffic to far-flung and remote areas will be resumed if there is improvement in the weather and road conditions, he added.