Srinagar, Jan 15 (IANS) Heavy snowfall lashed the Kashmir Valley Sunday and the Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed for traffic to prevent accidents.

Jammu and Kashmir summer capital Srinagar received six inches of snow till 8 a.m. and the snowfall continued unabated.

Gulmarg had received a foot of fresh snowfall, Pahalgam three inches, Ganderbal town six inches, Badgam five inches, Bandipora five inches, Baramulla four inches, Shopian three inches and Anantnag town one inch till 8 a.m.

It is still snowing at all these places and elsewhere in the valley.

“The western disturbance presently active here will start weakening from Monday evening. Till then, snowfall will continue with intermittent breaks. The higher reaches may receive heavy snowfall,” local meteorological office director Sonam Lotus told IANS.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar was minus 3.5 degrees, it was minus 6.9 in Pahalgam and minus 9.6 in Gulmarg.

Despite the fresh snowfall, electricity supply was not affected in Kashmir.

“All our field staff is out to ensure that if local faults occur anywhere due to the snowfall, they would be attended to without any delay,” chief engineer (maintenance) Kashmir Muhammad Muzaffar Mattoo said.

Meanwhile, authorities have closed the Srinagar-Jammu highway because of the snowfall in Bannihal and Patnitop sectors of the road. “The highway has been closed to prevent any accident,” an officer of the traffic department said.