The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed on Monday after several high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand received heavy snowfall, reported PTI.

Authorities in Kashmir have issued an avalanche warnings for four districts after higher reaches of the Union Territory received moderate to heavy snowfall. Officials said the warning was issued in Baramulla, Bandipora, Kupwara and Ganderbal districts.

Officials said that a medium danger avalanche warning was issued for the higher reaches of Bandipora and Kupwara, adding a low danger avalanche warning was issued for the higher reaches of Ganderbal and Baramulla.

Snowfall began in the upper Himalayan region, including Gangotri, Kedarnath, Auli, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Harsil on Sunday night. It continued till Monday morning, officials said. Gulmarg, a popular skiing destination in Baramulla, received 19 cm of snow in 24 hours, while Pahalgam, part of Anantnag district, had light snowfall, the officials said.

Besides the National Highway, the Mughal Road, an alternate link between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India, was also shut for vehicular traffic on Saturday because of the snowfall.

Here are some of the visuals:

In Uttarakhand, the Upper Himalayan regions received the season’s first heavy snowfall, intensifying cold conditions across the state. Further, the heavy snowfall led to the delay in the departure of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Adityanath for Badrinath. They offered prayers at the Kedarnath temple and attended a ceremony for the closure of its portals for winter.

An information department official in Chamoli said the chief ministers were in Kedarnath as their helicopter could not take off due to the inclement weather. There were expected to leave at 8.30 am.

Devotees take part in Panchmukhi Doli festival during snowfall at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand on Monday. (Credit: PTI)

Security forces rescue 10 people trapped in heavy snowfall

A defence spokesperson said the security forces have rescued 10 people, including two women and a child, trapped in heavy snowfall at the high-altitude Sinthan pass.

He said that the rescue operations were carried out on Sunday night. Army and police personnel, part of the rescue team, walked for five hours along the National Highway 244 in zero visibility conditions during the night, the spokesperson said, adding that they brought the stranded persons to Sinthan ground where they were given food and shelter.