Srinagar: Rains lashed Kashmir on Thursday bringing down mercury and shutting down Srinagar-Jammu highway.
The vehicular traffic along the mountainous highway was suspended after rains triggered shooting stones and minor landslides at several places.
An official from the traffic control unit Ramban told the Kashmir Reader due to the minor landslides and shooting stones from the mountains at several places of the highway the traffic movement was stopped in the afternoon.
“The traffic movement was stopped at 4 pm on Thursday. However men and machinery have been pressed into service to clear the highway,” he added.
The highway was through for one-way traffic from Srinagar towards Jammu. The closure of the road resulted in stranding of both light as well as heavy motor vehicles.
Meanwhile, the metrological centre Srinagar predicted that intensity of rains will increase today and forecasted snow in higher reaches of the Valley.
Deputy Director MeT Mukhtar Ahmad said that higher reaches will receive the snowfall on Friday and Saturday.
“During these two days, temperature will plummet significantly,” he said.
According to weather official, Srinagar’s day temperature was 10.3 degree Celsius while the night temperature settled at 3.5 degree.

ARIF RASHID