A massive avalanche hit the Sonamarg tourist resort in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district late Tuesday night, triggering panic among locals and tourists. Officials, however, confirmed that no loss of life has been reported so far. The avalanche hit the area at around 10.12 pm and was captured on multiple CCTV cameras, dramatic visuals of which have since surfaced on social media, highlighting the intensity of ongoing harsh weather conditions.
Here's the video
The footage shows a powerful wall of snow cascading down the mountainside and engulfing buildings within seconds, highlighting the severity of the harsh weather conditions gripping the region.
Videos recorded from three different CCTV cameras installed in and around Sonamarg reveal the sheer force and speed of the snow slide. In one clip, thick snow can be seen rapidly spreading across open ground before reaching nearby structures. Another angle shows snow clouds enveloping buildings almost instantly, reducing visibility to near zero. A third video captures the avalanche’s massive scale, with swirling snow plumes surrounding rooftops and roads.
No loss of life
Despite the intensity of the avalanche and visible damage in the footage, officials said no casualties or injuries have been reported. Emergency teams and local authorities rushed to the area immediately to assess the situation and remain on alert for any further risk.
President of the Beopar Mandal Sonamarg, Furqan Shera, said the avalanche struck the truck yard area of Sonamarg. He added that no damage has been reported so far and that CCTV footage also captured strong winds generated by the avalanche, which affected nearby Sonamarg village as well. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
Notably, the district administration had issued a high-danger avalanche warning on Monday.
Snowfall covers Kashmir
Sonamarg and several other parts of Kashmir received moderate to heavy snowfall over the last 24 hours. The fresh snowfall severely disrupted normal life, forcing the closure of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) and leading to the cancellation of all flights at Srinagar airport, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded.
Officials said NH-44 was shut after heavy snow accumulation near the Navyug Tunnel at Qazigund and Banihal. At Srinagar International Airport, all 58 scheduled flights were cancelled as continuous snowfall made runway operations unsafe.
Authorities have advised residents and tourists to remain cautious and follow official advisories as adverse weather conditions continue across the Kashmir valley.
(Input: Aqib Rasool)
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