WATCH: Avalanche hits J&K’s Sonamarg tourist resort; warning issued in Uttarakhand too

A massive avalanche struck Sonamarg tourist resort in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district late Tuesday night. A wall of snow came down the mountainside, engulfing several buildings. CCTV footage captured the incident at around 10:12 pm, causing panic among residents and tourists. 

Despite visible damage, officials confirmed that no casualties have been reported. Emergency teams arrived promptly to assess damage and monitor risks.

The avalanche coincided with fresh snowfall that disrupted daily life across Kashmir. The Jammu–Srinagar national highway was closed, and all 58 flights at Srinagar International Airport were cancelled. Officials said National Highway 44 was shut after heavy snow near the Navyug tunnel at Qazigund and the Banihal stretch. Authorities added that continuous snowfall made the runway unsafe for aircraft operations. Hundreds of passengers remain stranded.

Meteorological authorities forecast further unsettled conditions, with rain and snow expected to continue. The Meteorological Department has forecast light to moderate rain or snow across most areas, with possible thunder or gusty winds. Light precipitation is also expected on Wednesday.

The Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Disaster Management Authority issued avalanche warnings for 11 districts. Ganderbal district is under a high-danger warning for elevations above 2,000 metres. Medium-danger warnings apply to Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Kulgam and Kupwara in Kashmir, and Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri and Ramban in the Jammu region. Authorities urge residents and tourists to exercise caution.

UTTARAKHAND AVALANCHE WARNING

Meanwhile, an avalanche warning was issued on Tuesday for several high-altitude regions of Uttarakhand, including Badrinath and Kedarnath, following a second significant snowfall in a week. The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority alerted all districts after the Defence Geo-Informatics Research Establishment (DGRE) forecasted an increased avalanche risk from 5 pm on January 27 to 5 pm on January 28.

Intermittent snowfall continued from Monday night in Badrinath (Chamoli district), Kedarnath, peaks in Rudraprayag, and higher reaches of Uttarkashi. Fresh snow was also reported in Auli and high peaks around Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district.

According to the DGRE warning, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Rudraprayag are in the 'orange' category, indicating deep, unstable snow cover on most avalanche paths and a high risk of avalanches reaching valley floors. Pithoragarh district is in the 'yellow' category, with unstable snow on some avalanche paths and possible small avalanches in limited areas. 

Schools up to class 12 have been closed in Tehri, Uttarkashi, Almora, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar districts. In Dehradun, an orange alert from the Meteorological Department led to school closures after weather shifted from clear skies to intermittent rain.

Local authorities have taken precautionary steps as snow and rain continue to affect tourism and daily life in areas such as Chakrata, Auli, and the Kumaon region. Light to moderate rainfall has also been recorded in lower regions.