Snow, rains lash Indian-controlled Kashmir

NEW DELHI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The plains and upper reaches of Indian-controlled Kashmir witnessed heavy rains and snowfall Tuesday, Meteorological department officials said.

The rainfall and snow started Monday and was going on incessantly.

Officials said moderate snowfall was reported along high altitude areas including famous tourist destination Gulmarg while as planes including Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, saw mild snowfall accompanied heavy rains.

On Tuesday morning, residents in Srinagar and other places of the region woke up to see a thin film of snow covering earth and rooftops.

The snowfall and rains have ended a three-month dry spell in the region.

Authorities have suspended movement of vehicular traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in wake of snow and rains. Traffic department officials said the decision to close the road was taken following landslides and drifting on stones at different places along the road.

The 294 km Srinagar-Jammu highway is the only road link connecting Muslim majority areas of the region to winter capital - Jammu and Indian states.

"The road will be thrown open once the weather improves and road is cleared of the landslides and stones," a traffic department official posted at Jawahar tunnel in Banihal told Xinhua.

Indian Meteorological department officials have predicted more rains and snow in the next 24 to 48 hours.

The western disturbance meanwhile has brought rains in several parts of North India including the national capital - New Delhi.

The downpour in Delhi has brought down pollution level in the city and its outskirts. Enditem