Three days of continuous heavy snowfall have severely disrupted communication links and blocked roadways, affecting popular tourist destinations in Upper Hazara division, including Kaghan, Naran, Shogran, Nathiagali, Donga Gali, and Thandiani.
During the three-day heavy snowfall period, Galyat received over 2.5 feet of snow, while Kaghan and Naran received up to 4 feet, resulting in sub-zero temperatures.
In Galyat, the main Murree Road, a vital route connecting multiple destinations, has been closed due to a snow avalanche at Toheedabad all vehicular traffic to Galyat and roads connecting to Murree have been blocked.
Gulmarg and the higher reaches in the Kashmir Valley have accumulated a significant amount of snow, with the world-famous skiing resort recording nearly 3 feet of snowfall within 48 hours until Tuesday morning.
Quoting a meteorological department official, GNS reported that plains largely received rainfall with Srinagar recording 41.4mm in two days including 29.0mm in 24 hours.
He said, mercury witnessed drop with Srinagar recording a low of minus 0.7°C against 2.0°C on the previous night. It was below normal by 1.6°C for the summer capital of JK for this time of the year, he said.
Qazigund received 76.8mm of rain in 24 hours till 0830 hours and recorded a minimum of 0.0°C against 36°C on the previous night and it was 0.1°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, the MeT official said.
Pahalgam received 40.1mm of rain during the 24 hours and recorded a low of minus 0.5°C against 0.8°C on the previous night and it was 3.5°C above normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir.
According to the weather department, Rohtang Pass received 135 cm of snow in the past 24 hours -- the highest in the region. Killar (Pangi) received 90 cm, Chitkul and Jalori Jot 45 cm, Kukumseri 44 cm, and Gondla 39 cm of snow.
Killar (Pangi) received 90 cm, Chitkul and Jalori Jot 45 cm, Kukumseri 44 cm, and Gondla 39 cm of snow. Keylong received 35 cm of snow and Sissu, Koksar and Hansa 30 cm each.
Kothi got 20 cm and Kalpa 11 cm of snow, the department said. The region is still witnessing intermittent snowfall.
Sparks fly as waterspout turns into a tornado and makes landfall in Florida
A waterspout was seen moving over southern Florida on Sunday, Feb. 18, blowing debris into the air as it made landfall.
Weather authorities later described the waterspout seen at around 12:02 p.m. in Cudjoe Bay, located in the lower Florida Keys, as a "confirmed tornado."
No injuries were reported, but authorities said one structure had suffered damage.
70 year old Veronica Nekesa and her daughter Nasio Baseke, have been struck dead by lightning Monday night in Nakigo village, in Malongo sub county, in Mayuge district. The duo were struck dead while in a grass thatched house, which also caught fire after the lightening.
Ismael Ntale, who stays in the neighbouring house located about 10 meters, away says that he heard a big blast at about 3.00am and he tightened his house door, only to notice flames from his mother's hut.
Ntale says that he broke into the burning house only to notice the lifeless bodies of his mother and sister lying on the ground, which confirmed his suspicion that they had been struck dead by lightning.
Police officers help a car stuck in the snow in Fuyun county, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China February 18, 2024.
Temperatures broke a 64-year-old record in China's far western region of Xinjiang, plunging to a bone-chilling minus 52.3 degrees Celsius (minus 63.4 degrees Farenheit) amid a cold spell and traffic disruptions following the Lunar New Year holiday.
Several parts of China are battling another deep freeze as people return from week-long celebrations of the year's biggest holiday. Just before it started, blizzards and icy rain had stranded travellers on railways and roads.
State media said Sunday's milestone in the Tuerhong township of Fuyun county was the lowest since records began in Xinjiang, surpassing a temperature of minus 51.5 C (minus 60.7 F) set on Jan. 21, 1960.
The figure was just shy of the lowest national temperature of minus 53 C (minus 63.4 F) in Mohe, a city in the northeastern province of Heilongjiangon Jan. 22 last year.
Comment: Two record cold winters in succession then. "Global boiling!"
A yellow, sandy haze has covered the city of Xi'an, China. The area was hit by a sandstorm at the weekend that brought low visibility and strong winds
Severe sandstorms swept across at least two cities in northwestern China in the Xinjiang and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regions, drastically reducing visibility.
The road leading to the Alaikuu valley in Kara-Kulja district of Osh region is temporarily closed for traffic for 1-2 days due to heavy snowfall, said deputy governor of the district Talant Karmyshakov.
"Yesterday, the road was opened, but due to snowfall and avalanches, it was decided to close the road. The threat of avalanches remains at 52-113 km section of the road, special equipment is delivered to the spot, electricity was restored," he said.
Going, going, gone! Dramatic moment rock crumbles into the sea in huge landslide on Dorset's Jurassic Coast
This is the moment rock crumbles into the sea in a massive landslide on Dorset's famous Jurassic Coast following heavy rainfall at the beauty spot.
The rockslide at Lulworth Cove, near the landmark Durdle Door, followed a spree of wild weather in the area - with a local cafe declared structurally unsafe.
Luckily, no one was injured, despite footage showing crowds left stunned by the incident at the popular cove last Wednesday.
Heavy rains lashed several parts of Syria today, February 17.
A video going viral on social media shows massive rain in Syria's Latakia caused the flood water to enter a large fuel store.
As the video moves further, the flood water is seen sweeping away thousands of gas cylinders.
A user who shared the video on X, formerly Twitter, said that heavy rain exceeding 130 mm fell within three hours on Saturday night and dawn. "Floods uprooted the gates of one of the domestic gas cylinder filling plants," the user stated.
"We have about 50% of the world's wealth but only 6.3% of its population. This disparity is particularly great as between ourselves and the peoples of Asia. In this situation, we cannot fail to be the object of envy and resentment. Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which will permit us to maintain this position of disparity without positive detriment to our national security. To do so, we will have to dispense with all sentimentality and day-dreaming; and our attention will have to be concentrated everywhere on our immediate national objectives. We need not deceive ourselves that we can afford today the luxury of altruism and world-benefaction."
~ US State Department, 1948
- George Kennan
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Comment: At the same time in an adjacent region of China: Stunning drone footage shows wolves digging tunnels through deep snow in northern China