Gentle Drizzle Cools Delhi, J&K Highway Blocked, 500 Roads Closed As Avalanche, Snow Cripple Himachal

New Delhi: Delhi woke up to a gentle drizzle on Sunday morning as the minimum temperature in the national capital settled at 13.7 degrees Celsius, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Meanwhile, NHAI authorities stepped up efforts to restore traffic flow on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway following improvements in weather conditions, news agency PTI reported.

The closure of the 270-km highway for a second consecutive day prompted police to relocate numerous stranded passengers, including over 200 tourists, to safer accommodations in Ramban district.

Here are the key updates:

• Delhi received 4 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, according to IMD data up to 8:30 am. The weather office also predicted cloudy skies throughout the day with a likelihood of further rain or drizzle. Humidity levels stood at 73 percent, contributing to the cool and damp weather conditions.
• The Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi was registered at 103, falling within the ‘moderate’ category at 9 am, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
• In Jammu and Kashmir, landslides, mudslides, and falling rocks, triggered by heavy rainfall, forced the closure of the highway early Saturday. Several sections of the road, notably near Panthiyal, suffered damage. The traffic department advised against travel on the NH-44 highway until restoration work is completed.
• While higher reaches experienced fresh snowfall, moderate to heavy rains affected various parts of Jammu and Kashmir on March 1 and 2. Strong winds and hailstorms damaged numerous structures, including government schools, across the Union Territory.
• Control rooms have been established in all district headquarters to address potential emergencies caused by swollen rivers and water bodies.
• An avalanche struck a village in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti district, obstructing the Chenab River flow and prompting an alert in the surrounding area on Sunday, PTI reported.
• Over the last two days, heavy snowfall and rainfall in Himachal Pradesh have triggered several avalanches and landslides, resulting in the closure of more than 500 roads, including five national highways. No casualties have been reported so far.
• In Lahaul subdivision, some shops were buried under an avalanche at Tandi Bridge. Multiple avalanches were reported in various locations including Seli Nallah in Rashel village, Faldi Nallah in Jobrang, Cho Veer Mod in Lohni, and Tatha Nallah near Udaipur village. An avalanche was reported near Karcham helipad in Sangla, Kinnaur district.
• Among the 500 roads closed for traffic, five are national highways. The majority of closures are in Lahaul and Spiti (290 roads), followed by Kinnaur (75), Chamba (72), Shimla (35), Kullu (18), Mandi (16), with one each in Kangra and Sirmaur districts.
• Rohtang received the maximum snowfall in the state, 150 cm in the last 24 hours. Other areas such as Chitkul and Atal Tunnel recorded 120 cm of snow. Keylong recorded the lowest temperature of minus 4.5 degrees Celsius during the night.