Red alert sounded in Rajouri
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, February 5
The twin frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch received fresh snowfall today throwing the normal life in many areas out of gear. However the fresh snowfall did give the residents the much needed respite from the cold wave conditions that has swept North India.

The higher reaches of these frontier districts, including Darhal, Buddhal and Dera Ki Gali (DKJ) in this district, received snowfall ranging from 1 feet to 4 feet, DKJ receiving maximum of 4 feet and Darhal receiving minimum of a feet. In the neighboring Poonch district, Mandi, Loran and Sawjian received 3 feet snow each. The traffic on the Jammu-Poonch national highway remained disrupted for the second consecutive day cutting off this border district with the rest of the state.

Reports said that it was snowing at many places in the semi-urban areas in this border township. These included Darhal, Buddal , Dera Ki Gali. Remote and backward tehsil of Buddal received a feet of snow.

Reports said several areas in Poonch district, especially Buflaiz and Chandimarh which are located at the foot hills of mighty Pir-Panjal mountain range, received snowfall ranging from 4 feet to 4.5 feet. These areas lying on the under-construction hyped Mughal road project remained cut off from not only the other places within the Poonch district, but also from rest of the state.

The vehicular traffic on the Jammu-Poonch national highway remained disrupted on the second straight day because of snowfall and landslides at many places along the road.

Reports further said that Buddal tehsil in this district also remained cut off from rest of the state as the road to this remote tehsil was closed due to snowfall and landslides at Behram Gala.

Meanwhile Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Sheikh Rafiq Ahmed told mediapersons here that red alert had been sounded in the district and all the block heads had been asked to remain present in their respective areas to monitor the situation. He further said that doctors at the district hospital here had also been asked to remain present in the hospital for 24 hours to meet any urgency.