A low-intensity avalanche has hit Sarbal area where Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) was having workshop. As reported by company officials everyone's safe. No loss of life or property is reported. Police & SDRF monitoring situation. Following this, an avalanche warning has also been issued for 12 districts including Bandipora. The avalanche hit Jurniyal village of Gurez this afternoon but there was no damage, the officials said. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Saturday issued a 'high danger' avalanche warning for the Kupwara district of north Kashmir and a 'medium danger' warning for Bandipora, Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban and Reasi districts.
"Avalanche with high danger level is likely to occur above 2,000 metres of Kupwara district in the next 24 hours. Avalanche with medium danger level is likely to occur above 2,000 metres over Bandipora, Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban and Reasi districts in the next 24 hours," SDMA officials said.
They said an avalanche with a low danger level is likely to occur above 2,000 metres over Anantnag, Kulgam, and Rajouri districts in the next 24 hours. People have been advised to take precautions and avoid venturing into avalanche-prone areas. Two labourers from Kishtwar lost their lives on Thursday when an avalanche hit the work site of a construction company in the Ganderbal district's Sonamarg.
Fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of the valley has pushed the night temperature above the freezing point across Kashmir. While temperatures in Srinagar have been around 3 degrees Celsius, Qazigund, the gateway to the Valley, has registered a minimum of 1.6 degrees Celsius.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai Kalan', the 40-day harshest weather period when the chances of snowfall are most frequent. This period begins on December 21 and ends on January 30. The cold wave continues even after that with a 20-day-long 'Chillai Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day-long 'Chillai Bachha' (baby cold) following it.
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