A massive avalanche struck the Sarbal area of Sonamarg late Tuesday night, engulfing houses, vehicles, and nearby structures under heavy snow, officials said. Despite the scale of the incident, authorities confirmed that no casualties or injuries have been reported so far.

According to officials, the avalanche hit the popular tourist destination at around 10:12 pm, sending a large volume of snow cascading down the mountainside toward residential buildings and hotels. Sonamarg, located along the Srinagar-Leh highway, is a key tourist hub and also houses seasonal settlements that are particularly vulnerable during winter months.

CCTV footage from the area captured the dramatic moment when the avalanche surged forward, rapidly covering buildings and parked vehicles in its path. The visuals, which circulated widely on social media, showed thick clouds of snow swallowing structures within seconds, highlighting the intensity of the slide.

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Authorities reiterated that there was “no report of any loss of life” from the incident. The region had already been placed under a high-risk avalanche warning on Monday due to continuous and heavy snowfall across the Kashmir Valley. Local administrations had urged residents and tourists to remain cautious and avoid avalanche-prone zones.

The avalanche occurred amid widespread disruption caused by fresh snowfall across Kashmir on Tuesday. The Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), the valley’s primary all-weather road link, was closed after heavy snow accumulation near the Navyug tunnel at Qazigund and the Banihal stretch, officials said.

Air connectivity was also severely affected, with all 58 scheduled flights—including 29 arrivals and 29 departures—cancelled at Srinagar International Airport. Authorities said persistent snowfall throughout the day made runway operations unsafe, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded across the valley as weather-related challenges continued.

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