Warm Winters Rob Zojila Of Snow In Kashmir

ZOJILA, KASHMIR, INDIA - APRIL 6: A vehicle passes through the snow-cleared Srinagar-Leh highway on April 6, 2018 in Zojila, 108 km (67 miles) east of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir, India. The 443-km-long (275 miles) Srinagar-Leh highway was opened for vehicles after remaining snowbound at Zojila for the past six months. The pass connects Kashmir with Ladakh, a region famous among foreign tourists for its monasteries, landscapes and mountains. The average snow accumulation on the rocky territory of Zojila normally remains between 15 and 25 meters. The pass remains closed for half a year and opens in late spring. Travellers taking the pass have to withstand snowstorms and dangerous circumstances. Meteorological data shows that Kashmir received 60 per cent less snow and rain this winter with temperatures hovering five degrees above average, triggering early flower bloom. The Valley also stares at summer water scarcity that could potentially hit its agricultural economy. Experts say that the temperature has risen in Kashmir, affecting the quantity of snow. They say that Zojila has lost 80 per cent of its snow volume this year. The travellers cannot see the colossal snow walls which used to be 15 to 25 meters. (Photo by Yawar Nazir/Getty Images)