Srinagar: The season’s first major snowfall in the Valley left at least seven people dead in various incidents on Thursday, besides causing heavy damage to power infrastructure, trees and orchards.
The 36 hours of incessant rainfall followed by massive snowfall started on Wednesday night and continued all day on Thursday paralyzing life in the Kashmir valley on Friday as well.
The administration was caught napping despite weather advisories issued by the Meteorological Department.
The city recorded one foot of snow, while as hilly areas received two to three feet of snow.
In Srinagar city, a fire and emergency team was seen cutting tree branches at several places on Thursday. Fire and emergency elevator (skylift) vehicle was put at Zero Bridge, Rajbagh to prune branches of Chinar and other trees posing threat to lives.
Two army porters identified as Mohammed Isaac and Manzoor Khan, both residents of Kupwara’s Zihama village were killed after they came under a snow avalanche on Thursday. Two soldiers died when their vehicle met with an accident in Langate area due to poor visibility.
Manzoor Ahmed, a Power Development Department employee, was killed in Srinagar after he fell from an electricity pole near Hazratbal. Another civilian died after coming under a falling tree branch in Habak area.
Another civilian was killed in Lasipora village of Pulwama after he slipped from a roof while clearing snow.
Reports emanating from other districts said that the snowfall has caused widespread damage to trees and orchards as most trees were yet to be pruned.
An early snowfall in November last year had also caused heavy damage to fruit trees in the orchards.
“Trees were yet to shed leaves, due to which snow accumulated on tree branches, leading to breakings,” Javaid Ahmad, a farmer from Shopian said, adding, a tree takes two decades to mature and the snowfall has ruined their years of hard work.
A Horticulture official said the department was still assessing the damages.
An estimated 45 lakh out of Kashmir’s ninety lakh people are believed to be directly or indirectly dependent on horticulture, which has an annual turnover of Rs 8,000 to 10,000 crore.
The snowfall plunged Kashmir into darkness, forced closure of Srinagar-Jammu national highway, Mughal road, Kupwara Keran raod and disrupted air traffic besides damaging orchards.

Mir Iqbal