Kashmir valley receives heavy snowfall: Over 70 rescued after heavy rains closes Jammu-Srinagar highway

Jammu: Over 70 people, stranded after heavy rains and snowfall at Surankote in Jammu and Kashmir, were rescued on Tuesday, police said. [caption id=“attachment_4252339” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Getty Images[/caption] The commuters, including 42 labourers from outside the state, were trapped at Chatapani-Pushana near Peer Ki Gali on Tuesday due to heavy snowfall in the upper reaches of Surankote, Station House Officer of Surankote police station Anzar Mir told PTI. They were evacuated and taken to a company base camp at Bufliaz, he said. Peer Ki Gali along the Mughal road, connecting Kashmir with the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, is experiencing heavy snowfall since Monday. The road was closed on Sunday evening as a precautionary measure following a weather forecast which predicted moderate to heavy snowfall and rains in wide parts of Jammu and Kashmir from 11 December to 15 December. The inclement weather, which resulted in considerable drop in the day temperature, also led to the suspension of helicopter and battery car service at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Trikuta Mountains, officials said. However, the pilgrimage to the shrine was on despite heavy rains. The present weather conditions in Jammu and Kashmir are likely to continue till Thursday due to a western disturbance over the state, according to a meteorological (MeT) office forecast.