Srinagar, March 30 (IANS) A timely rescue operation on Monday helped the safe evacuation of 22 vehicles carrying tourists and other passengers after snow and a landslide blocked Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora-Gurez road.
Officials said that the District Administration of Bandipora, in close coordination with the Mechanical Engineering Department (MED) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), successfully facilitated the evacuation of stranded vehicles and tourists from Gurez Valley following the closure of the Bandipora-Gurez Road due to heavy snowfall and landslides.
As many as 22 vehicles carrying tourists and passengers were stranded at multiple locations after sudden snow accumulation, mudslides, and falling rocks blocked the road, particularly near Razdan Top.
The situation was further aggravated by strong winds and stormy weather conditions, posing significant challenges to the personnel involved in the rescue operations. Upon receiving SOS messages from stranded tourists, the District Administration acted swiftly.
Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Indu Kanwal Chib, closely monitored the evacuation process and issued necessary directions to all concerned departments to ensure the safety of the stranded passengers.
Responding promptly, the MED and BRO teams launched a brave and timely operation under extremely challenging conditions. The teams worked continuously to clear snow and debris, restoring connectivity and enabling the safe passage of stranded vehicles.
All stranded tourists were safely evacuated, and necessary assistance, including medical aid, was provided on the spot.
Incessant rain in the plains and light to moderate snowfall in the mountains adversely affected life in the union territory on Monday. The meteorological office has said that the present weather system will continue till Tuesday evening, after which improvement will start.
The district administrations in Ganderbal, Anantnag and Kupwara districts of the Valley have issued avalanche warnings in avalanche-prone areas and advised residents not to venture out of their homes unless absolutely unavoidable till the alert is withdrawn. Farmers and agriculturists have been advised to suspend agricultural operations till April 1.
–IANS
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