Anantnag: Issuing a “yellow” alert, the Meteorological department (MeT) has predicted “fairly widespread” light to moderate rainfall across Kashmir valley in the next twenty-four hours. “Isolated thunders and lightning are also expected to take place,” an official of the department said, adding that the weather was unlikely to make any huge disruptions in Kashmir valley.
Rains, thunderstorms, and cloudbursts across the Kashmir valley, since July 27, had led to the flooding of certain areas in the valley and the closure of some vital road links in and out of the Kashmir division.
“Mudslides, and shooting stones in Ramban district led to the closure of Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Thursday,” a senior official in the UT administration told Kashmir Reader.
He said that Amarnath Yatra was also suspended in wake of inclement weather along the Yatra route and other places in the Kashmir valley. “There have been herculean efforts to clear the road, the NH in particular and it is expected to be thrown open for traffic any time soon now,” the official said.
He said that the priority will be to clear stranded vehicles along the route even as pilgrims were now being allowed to move towards the Kashmir valley. “There, however, as still shooting stones being reported from some places and at some single lane has been opened for traffic as of now,” the official said.
He said that people meaning to travel on the NH should keep these things in consideration, “or avoid travel if it is not absolutely necessary,”
Meanwhile, there has been some relief for people in low-lying areas as water levels receded today and some vital roads in Srinagar and elsewhere that had been inundated have been cleared now.
The Bemina area of Srinagar was the worst hit, where even some residential areas were flooded as well on Thursday. “As the rain subsided to a great extent the water too has receded,” locals, Kashmir Reader talked to, have said.
Flash floods were also reported from many parts of the Kashmir valley on Thursday. There however were no reports of any casualties anywhere in the valley, fortunately.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature has dropped across the Kashmir valley bringing a slight respite amid the ongoing heat wave.

Suhail A Shah