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Snow avalanche; rain gauge; disaster; extreme event.

Heavy snowfall in the first week of November 2019 caused snow avalanche that resulted in huge loss in the form of lives and properties over Kashmir Valley in North India. About 17 people were killed including 11 soldiers by the snow avalanche resulting from heavy snowfall. Data from seven stations of India Meteorological Department (IMD) have been used to study the snowfall events. These stations include Kupwara, Gulmarg, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology (SKUAST), Pahalgam, Kokernag, Qazigund and Konibal. Kokernag recorded the highest snowfall of about 120 mm on November 8. SKUAST recorded snowfall of about 80 mm on November 8. Heavy snowfall started on November 6 and lasted up to November 8, 2019. Gulmarg, Kokernag and Kupwara reported cumulative snowfall of more than 100 mm during November 6–8, 2019. These stations are located in hilly region. Heavy snowfall combined with steep slope resulted in heavy snow avalanche causing heavy damage. An army camp situated in northern Gulmarg was swept away due to avalanche resulting in four causalities. Heavy snowfall also affected agriculture, horticulture, transportations and economy of the valley.

$\bf{Highlights}$

$\bullet$ A snowfall avalanche event has been explored using GIS over Kashmir Valley.

$\bullet$ Heavy snowfall combined with steep slope resulted in heavy snow avalanche causing extreme damage.

$\bullet$ This extreme event affected transportation, agriculture and horticulture.

SUHAIL MEER MOHAMMAD¹ ANOOP KUMAR MISHRA¹

1. Centre for Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai 600 119, India.

Published

16 November 2020

Manuscript received

20 May 2020

Manuscript revised

24 August 2020

Accepted

19 September 2020

Final version published online

16 November 2020