Heavy Snowfall Disrupts Life Across South Kashmir

Heavy snowfall across South Kashmir on Saturday has severely disrupted normal life, cutting off many areas from district headquarters and affecting essential services like electricity, water, and transportation. Here’s a detailed look at the situation in different districts:

Kulgam

The Kulgam district has been heavily impacted, with:

• Upper areas such as Aharbal, DK-Marg, DH Pora, and Kund receiving up to 24 inches of snow.
• Low-lying areas reporting around 15 inches of snowfall.

Efforts to clear snow are underway, with snow-cutting machines deployed on major roads. However, continuous snowfall is hampering progress.

Residents, especially those in need of hospital care, are facing immense difficulties due to blocked roads. “Patients are suffering as the roads have been blocked,” said Khurshid Ahmad of DH Pora.
Additionally, power supply disruptions have been reported due to damaged poles, transformers, and severed supply lines.

Anantnag

Anantnag has also experienced significant snowfall:

• Kokernag, Daksum, Verinag, Kapran, Pahalgam, and Qazigund received up to 18 inches of snow.
• High-altitude areas like Sinthan Top and Margan Top recorded over 2 feet of snow, while Anantnag town reported 12 inches.

While main roads are being cleared, many villages remain cut off, forcing residents to resort to extreme measures for medical emergencies. “We are forced to ferry patients on trolleys or even carry them on our backs to hospitals,” said Shakeel Ahmad from Sondbari village, Kokernag.
Electricity supply has also been severely disrupted in the district.

Shopian and Pulwama

The twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama reported:

• Higher reaches in Shopian, such as Sedow, Dobijan, and Hirpora, accumulating 2 feet of snow, while low-lying areas received 15 inches.
• Upper areas of Pulwama, like Sangawani and Achagoze, saw up to 18 inches of snowfall.
• Peer Ki Gali along the Mughal Road in Shopian recorded over 2 feet of snow.

The heavy snowfall has plunged many villages into darkness, with power and water supplies disrupted. “Our area has been without electricity since last evening,” said Sayyar Ahmad of Losedanow.

Snow-Clearing Efforts

Officials from the R&B Mechanical Division have deployed snow-clearing machines across all districts to open inter-district and link roads. Despite these efforts, many residents are taking matters into their own hands, using shovels to clear sidewalks and alleyways.

This snowfall has highlighted the resilience of South Kashmir residents as they tackle the challenges posed by nature. However, the authorities need to act swiftly to restore connectivity and essential services to bring relief to the affected population.