Srinagar-Jammu highway closed
Srinagar: Normal life was thrown out of gear as incessant rain continued for the second successive day on Tuesday in the plains while upper reaches, including world famous ski resort of Gulmarg and tourist resort of Sonamarg, received snowfall in Kashmir.
A Met department spokesperson said moderate to heavy rain and snow would continue at most places during the next 24 in Kashmir valley under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region.
“A weather warning has been issued during this time when heavy snow, rain, thundershowers with gusty wind (30-40 km/hour) would occur at isolated places in the valley,” he said.
He said the weather is expected to improve from Wednesday onwards.
After witnessing dip in the night temperature, people woke up to a rainy and chilly Tuesday morning in the summer capital, Srinagar, where life was thrown out of gear due to waterlogging of roads following incessant rain since Monday. Pedestrian and vehicular movement was badly affected as most of the roads in the city were waterlogged. The maximum temperature in the city dipped further and settled several degrees below normal, forcing people to once again wear sweaters and jackets, besides using other heating gadgets to keep themselves warm. The mercury during the night dipped 3 degree from Monday and settled at 4.6 degree, which is slightly below normal.
He said generally cloudy with light rain and thundershowers would occur during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where the maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to settle at 12 degree and 5 degree, respectively.
Gulmarg, which is already covered under several feet of snow, continued to receive light to moderate snowfall for the second successive day, much to the delight of tourists. Kongdori and Apharwat, the highest point of the cable car project in Gulmarg, also received light to moderate snowfall. The ski resort was the only place in the valley where the night temperature settled below freezing point. Against minus 0.5 degree recorded on Monday, the mercury dipped and settled at minus 0.9 degree, which is slightly above normal.
Meanwhile, traffic on Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only all weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, was suspended on Tuesday for maintenance following landslides and shooting stones, triggered by heavy rains.
A traffic police official said that no traffic was allowed today on the highway from Jammu or Srinagar.
He said there were landslides and shooting stones at several places between Banihal, Ramban and Ramsu due to overnight rain.
In view of the inclement weather prediction issued by the Meteorological department for next 24 hours which could cause landslides and shooting stones at several places, the traffic department had announced closure of the highway today to undertake necessary repair work.
Decision to resume traffic on the highway tomorrow will be taken only after assessing the condition of the road, he said.
