Heavy Avalanche Hits Kashmir’s Sonamarg, Buildings Buried; Air and Road Traffic Disrupted

SRINAGAR: A powerful avalanche struck Sonamarg, a prominent tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir, late on Tuesday night, burying buildings and vehicles under massive volumes of snow and bringing air and road traffic in the Valley to a standstill. Authorities confirmed that no loss of life has been reported so far, though extensive property damage has occurred.

The avalanche hit the Sarbal area of Sonamarg in Ganderbal district at around 10:12 pm, according to officials. CCTV footage from the area captured dramatic visuals of snow cascading down slopes and engulfing structures and parked vehicles, underscoring the intensity of the incident.

#BREAKING: Dramatic visuals of an avalanche caught on CCTV in Sonmarg of Central Kashmir tonight in India. No loss of life or major damage reported. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/FZkJRpFTcg

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 27, 2026

Severe Travel Disruptions Across the Valley

Heavy snowfall over the past 24 hours has severely disrupted normal life across Kashmir. At Srinagar International Airport, all 58 scheduled flights—including 29 arrivals and 29 departures—were cancelled due to accumulated snow on the runway and poor visibility.

The Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), the Valley’s primary road link with the rest of the country, has been completely closed. Thousands of vehicles remain stranded near the Navyug Tunnel at Qazigund and the Banihal sector, where heavy snowfall has rendered the route unsafe. Snow clearance operations are underway on a war footing, but adverse weather conditions continue to hamper restoration efforts.

Weather Warning and Advisory Issued

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued snowfall across the region until January 29, prompting authorities to issue heightened alerts. District administrations have advised residents and tourists to avoid travel to higher reaches and mountainous areas, citing the risk of further avalanches and landslides. Fresh snowfall has also been reported from parts of Doda district and other upper regions.

Airlines, including IndiGo and SpiceJet, have issued advisories requesting passengers travelling to Srinagar and Leh to verify flight status before heading to airports.

Authorities remain on high alert as rescue teams monitor vulnerable zones, while residents brace for continued severe winter conditions in the days ahead.