Srinagar/Pune, Jan 13 (UNI) Fresh snowfall in the Himalayan terrain on Monday threw normal life out of gear as operation of airways, railways and national highways were suspended in Srinagar while "orange" colour weather warning was issued in Himachal Pradesh.
In Srinagar, train service was suspended as tracks were under one to two feet of snow.
All incoming and outgoing flights from Srinagar International Airport remained suspended for the second day due to snowfall and poor visibility.
Met department has attributed the weather conditions to the strong and active Western Disturbance over the Western Himalayas.
The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed owing to snowfall and landslides triggered by rain.
Srinagar-Leh NH, remained closed for the past over one month due to accumulation of over five feet snow and slippery condition.
From transport problems arising from heavy snowfall, the Cluster University (CU) in the Valley postponed all examinations. Educational institutions in the valley remained closed due to winter vacations.
Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control, remained cut off for the second successive day. Gurez, surrounded by Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir from three sides, remained cutoff for the 13th successive day.
In Srinagar, treetops, roofs, electric poles and open fields besides roads were under a white carpet. Minimum temperature was minus 1.8 degree Celcius. Drass was the coldest place in the region at minus 10.5 deg C, followed by Leh, where the mercury improved about 4 deg and settled at minus 6.7 deg C.
Higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh received fresh snowfall. The state weather department issued an orange colour warning and yellow warning for January 16,Tuesday.
Orange warning is for weather conditions that have the capacity to impact people significantly, while yellow, the least dangerous of all weather warnings, indicates possibility of severe weather.
The HP government has also issued a fresh advisory asking people to keep in mind weather alerts while travelling in the state.
Keylong in the state received the highest 45 cm of snowfall. The minimum temperature in Shimla was 7.7 deg C.
In the hill state, 455 roads including 317 in Shimla zone are still blocked due to snow.
More UNI Team PS RP1954