Flights, exams canceled in Kashmir after heavy snowfall

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir

Heavy snowfall on the penultimate day of January disrupted air and road connectivity in Indian-administered Kashmir, resulting in the cancellation of flights and university examinations.

The snowfall, which ranged from a few inches in the capital Srinagar to more than a foot in hilly areas, forced the cancellation of all 68 incoming and outgoing flights from the region's only airport on Monday, according to Director Srinagar Airport Kuldeep Singh.

The highways leading to Jammu remained closed to traffic. The main Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed in several places due to avalanche debris triggered by rains.

The Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority has warned people in 10 of the region's 20 districts to avoid moving near avalanche-prone areas. Three of these districts have been designated as high-danger areas, six as medium-danger areas, and one as low-danger areas.

Power supply lines have also been damaged as a result of the heavy snowfall, causing power outages in most areas.

Managing Director of Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited Yasin Choudhary tweeted that his department managed to achieve the "quickest post-snowfall restoration till date."

Due to inclement weather, all examinations scheduled for Tuesday at the University of Kashmir, Central University of Kashmir, and Cluster University of Srinagar have been postponed.

The snowfall was the heaviest this winter in Srinagar. People usually dread heavy snowfall during the 40-day period from Dec. 21 to Jan. 31, known locally as Chilai Kalan (big chill), which lasts longer in sub-zero temperatures and causes a slew of problems from frozen taps to slick roads.