Dense fog affects train, air traffic
KNZ NEWS DESK
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Dec 15: While dense fog in Jammu and parts of northern region badly affected air and train traffic, the winter capital city recorded season’s lowest temperature today whereas, ski-destination Gulmarg in Kashmir broke last 10 years’ record of experiencing lowest night temperature.
Entire northern region has gone in the grip of intense cold wave and the people have taken out heavy winter clothes. With clear sky during night hours for the last two days, the minimum temperature in Jammu has shown sharp fall.
Today, Jammu recorded a minimum temperature of 5.7 degree Celsius while it was 12.5 degree C on December 12. On Thursday, the winter capital city recorded a temperature of 7.1 degree Celsius while a day earlier, it was 8.8 degree Celsius. A sharp fall of nearly 7 degrees Celsius has been witnessed in Jammu’s temperature in just past three days.
A Met spokesman said that in Jammu region, sky will remain clear for next one week. But the night temperature will show gradual fall. He predicted similar dry weather in other two regions of the State. He disclosed that foggy weather conditions will continue to affect air, train and vehicular traffic in the northern region including some Jammu areas for some time in coming days.
The spokesman further disclosed that with the improvement in weather after rains, Jammu recorded a maximum temperature of 15.5 degree Celsius, Katra 15.6 degree C, Bhaderwah maximum 8.7 degree C and minimum minus 0.6 degree C, Banihal maximum 12.0 Degree C and minimum minus 1.7 degree C while Batote maximum 11.9 degree C and minimum 0.6 degree Celsius temperature.
Kashmir valley shivered under intense cold conditions with night temperatures plummeting below freezing point with Gulmarg recording the coldest December night in a decade at minus 10 degrees Celsius while day temperatures also remained below normal.
The night temperature dipped at most places in the Kashmir division. The coldest December night in the last 10 years in the town, which had recorded a low of minus 10.1 degrees Celsius on the night of December 15, 2007. The day temperature of the place settled at minus 2.6 degree Celsius, which is 8 notches below normal.
Kargil was the coldest place in the State at minus 10.2 degrees Celsius while the day temperature of the place settled at minus 4.2 degrees Celsius. Leh recorded a low of minus 5.7 degrees Celsius while the day temperature of the place settled at minus 3.9 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam registered a minimum of minus 7.1 degrees Celsius. It was the lowest night temperature of the season in Pahalgam and the coldest December night in the last two years. The day temperature of the place settled at 3.3 degree Celsius which is 8 degree below normal.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.1 degree Celsius last night while the day temperature settled at 8.3 degree Celsius. Qazigund in South Kashmir settled at minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag town recorded a minimum of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius. The day temperatures of the two places was 6.6 degree Celsius and 5.2 degree Celsius respectively. Kupwara town in north Kashmir had a low of minus 1.1 degrees Celsius while day temperature of the place was recorded at 8.9 degree Celsius.
An official spokesman from Jammu Airport said that due to poor visibility and foggy weather conditions during morning hours, three flights- Indigo, Go Air and Spicejet were delayed for about an hour at Jammu Airport today. He said the first flight which arrives normally at round 8.55 am from New Delhi, today reached after 10 am, followed by others. Despite late arrival of some flights and digital/electronic sign board at the Jammu Airport was showing arrival of these flights in time. The afternoon flights, however, operated normally with the improvement in weather.
A Northern Railways Spokesman said that most of the trains arrived late by one to five hours at Jammu Station from various destinations today. He claimed that Tata Moori was late by five hours, Amarnath Express by five and half hours, Malwa Express by four hours, Bathinda-Jammu by three hours, Hemkund Express by one hour, Rajdhani by two hours, Utter Samparak Kranti by one and half hour, Begumpura express by two hours, Jhelum Express by two hours and Shalimar Express by one and half hours.
The vehicular- traffic in plain areas of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts was also badly affected due to dense fog. The inter-state buses are also arriving late from Delhi, Chandigarh and other destinations.
Meanwhile, one- way traffic has been restored on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway while Mughal Road was still closed. The power supply in many parts of district Kishtwar including Paddar, Marwa-Dachhin, besides Doda, Ramban, Udhampur, Reasi and Poonch, was still snapped after recent snowfall and rains.
Meanwhile, massive search operation continued today near the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmir, where five soldiers went missing after heavy snowfall on Tuesday.
Srinagar based Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said that several parties of security forces have joined the search operation to trace the missing soldiers. “So far no breakthrough has been achieved”, he said.
Three soldiers went missing after a snow avalanche hit Army’s Mani Post at Bagtoo in Gurez on Tuesday. The search and rescue operation was immediately launched in the area despite continuous snowfall to trace the missing soldiers. There is about 3-4 feet of snow in the area.
Two more soldiers, who were part of a party, patrolling forward areas in Nowgam sector in Kupwara district, slipped from a mountain. A porter working with Army slipped to death from a mountain top due to slippery conditions following fresh snowfall in border town of Gurez on Monday.
In January this year, 14 soldiers were killed in two snow avalanches which hit an Army post and patrol party in Gurez sector.
