Two soldiers go missing amid heavy snowfall in J&K's Naugam Sector

Representational image (File pic)

SRINAGAR: Two soldiers on Tuesday went missing after they slipped down a slope in Jammu and Kashmir's Naugam Sector. The incident took place following a heavy snowfall and chilling weather conditions across the state.

Meanwhile, the search and rescue operations are underway.

The state's capital witnessed the first snowfall of the season on Tuesday. The advent of snow in Srinagar led to fall in mercury level across north India, intensifying the cold conditions.

According to the Met department, Western disturbances have triggered snowfall in the Kashmir Valley.

Meanwhile, Pir Panjal range in J&K continued to receive snowfall forcing the authorities to close the Mughal road for traffic. Residents used bonfire in order to battle cold wave conditions in J&K's Rajouri sector.

A month-long dry spell in Jammu and Kashmir ended with the Valley receiving fresh snowfall while the plains were lashed by heavy rain, leading to a rise in minimum temperature at most places across the Ladakh region.

Gulmarg, the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir, recorded 15 cm (about six inches) of fresh snowfall till 8:30 am on Monday morning. Light snowfall was also recorded at the other famous health resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir.

Residents in Srinagar woke up with a thin blanket of snow in the morning, covering the landscape.

The weather office said the minimum temperature was minus 0.2 in Srinagar and 0.1 in Pahalgam. While Gulmarg at minus 6.5 was the coldest place in the state on Tuesday, the Met said.

The minimum temperature was minus 1.4 in Leh and minus three degrees in Kargil towns of the Ladakh region.

Jammu city recorded 12.5, Katra town 9.2, Batote 0.2, Bannihal minus 0.1, Bhaderwah 0.2 and Udhampur 10.2 as the minimum temperatures.

(With agency inputs)