Srinagar: With no fresh snowfall or rains, the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday said the threat of avalanche in high altitude areas has reduced considerably as hundreds of people who were shifted to safer places have started returning to their homes.
"The avalanche threat has considerably reduced today and
there is no warning of avalanches at the moment," Officer on
Special Duty with Divisional Commissioner and In charge
Disaster management Amir Ali told a news agency.
The authorities had issued avalanche warning on February
6, a day after heavy snowfall started in the upper reaches and
extended it subsequently although the snowfall stopped on
February 9, but not before covering the region with a layer of
five to 10 feet of snow.
In view of the possibility of avalanches, authorities had
yesterday shifted hundreds of people in the avalanche-prone
areas of Anantnag, Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora districts
to safer places as a precautionary measure.
However, the displaced persons were allowed to return to
their homes this morning as the snow settled down, vanishing
the threat.
"We are monitoring the weather conditions and in case
there is fresh snowfall, necessary steps would be taken to
ensure safety of the people," Ali said.
There was no report of fresh snowfall or rains from
anywhere.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 11, 2010, 14:53