Heavy snowfall likely in Kashmir

SRINAGAR - Heavy snowfall is expected in the valley during the next seven days as western disturbances continue to persist over Jammu and Kashmir, the weatherman said Friday.

The minimum temperature in summer capital Srinagar was 1.6 degrees Celsius Friday, while Leh and Kargil recorded a temperature of minus 9 degrees and minus 12.4 degrees, respectively.

Western disturbances persist over Jammu and Kashmir and because of this, we are expecting good snowfall here during the next seven days,” Sonam Lotus, director of the local weather office, told IANS.

Lotus also advised people living in higher reaches of the valley to take adequate precautions against avalanches. In the mountains, the snowfall would be heavy.”

The valley has received scanty snowfall this season.

While Europe, America and Beijing had good snowfall this winter, we have so far had a disappointing snowfall which spells disaster for agriculture in the coming season,” said 65-year-old Habibullah, a resident of north Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

It is childish to assume that there is enough snow in the mountains. It is only when the plains here get normal snowfall that the perennial water reservoirs in the mountains get heavy snowfall to sustain us for the entire year,” he said.