NH blocked, 1000 vehicles stranded in Ramban
Gopal Sharma/
Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, June 21: Intermittent rains coupled with cold conditions continued in the Kashmir valley and many parts of Jammu division resulting in considerable drop in temperature today.
The traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was suspended after shooting stones and landslides at Panthyal and two more places between Nashri and Banihal stretch of the highway this evening. More than 1000 vehicles including 300 LMVs have been stranded in Banihal, Ramsu and Ramban areas due to closure of highway.
With incessant rains across Kashmir, the temperatures in the region have plummeted further with Srinagar recording maximum day temperature of 15 Degree Celsius which is coldest June temperature after seven years.
The MeT office has predicted widespread moderate to heavy rain, thunder-storm with strong winds at some places in Jammu division and widespread light to moderate rain or snowfall on the higher reaches over the region this evening. The weather is likely to improve from Thursday, the weather office said.
SSP Traffic National Highway Shabir Malik said as it was raining intermittently in Ramban sector since morning, shooting stones frequently disrupted movement of traffic but it was restored after some time. However, in the evening again landslides took place in the same area and shooting stones continued for several hours causing massive damage to steel structure raised there for the safety of the vehicles and passengers. It blocked the movement of traffic on the highway at around 5.40 pm. He said no traffic will be allowed from Srinagar or Jammu side tomorrow on June 22.
DySP Traffic, Asgar Malik told that intermittent shooting of stones in Panthyal area continued to pose threat to the road users. Therefore it was not advisable to allow movement of traffic. The machinery was available at the site but it was darkness and launching restoration work was full of danger. Malik said about 250 light motor vehicles were stranded in Ramsu area since evening besides a large number of Kashmir bound trucks in Ramban sector.
“The NHAI and Traffic Police officials were closely monitoring the situation. If the weather improved and falling of boulders stopped, the restoration work will be started,” the DySP Traffic added.
Meanwhile, rain continued in Kishtwar, Doda, Bhaderwah, Udhampur, Reasi Kathua, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch areas. There has been sharp fall in temperature in the region for the last couple of days. In many areas, the rivers and nallahs were over-flooded.
Jammu and Katra towns today witnessed about 13.5 degree Celsius temperatures below normal. Jammu recorded 24.7 degree day temperature, Katra town 21.6 deg, Bhaderwah 16.8 deg C, Batote 15.4 deg C and Banihal 15.3 deg C temperatures today. Kargil town recorded a lowest temperature of 8.9 deg C while Leh had 7.4 deg C today.
“Though it was raining in higher reaches of Poonch and Shopian but Mughal Road was opened till late this evening. The road may be closed any time after fresh snowfall in Pir Ki Gali area as predicted by MeT office,” SSP Rural ML Kaith said.
Some fair weather roads in Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Doda and Ramban areas said to have been closed due to landslides. Reports of fresh snowfall have also been received from Sinthon Top in Kishtwar, Peer Ki Gali in Pir Panjal Range of Poonch-Rajouri and Chatter Galla area of Seoj Dhar on Bhaderwah-Bani road this evening.
Reports from Poonch said that a kucha house of one Mohd Latief, son of Akbar Joo, resident of Baila village in Mandi tehsil was partially damaged due to heavy rain.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Meteorological Department at Srinagar, Mukhtar Ahmad, told Excelsior that maximum temperature today in Srinagar plummeted to 15 degree Celsius. He said that the last time the maximum temperature in Srinagar plummeted to 15.2 degree Celsius on 4th June 2015.
He said that there were widespread to moderate rains across Jammu and Kashmir today. He added that the current weather will continue for 2-3 hours and then there will be gradual decrease in precipitation. “There will be significant improvement in weather from tomorrow forenoon and from June 23 there is no rain forecast for next one week,” he said.
The temperatures continued to hover below normal across the region for third consecutive day today.
Srinagar recorded a low of 13.3°C against 13.5°C on the previous night while the maximum temperature was recorded at 15 °C which is 14°C below normal. Qazigund recorded a low of 12.0°C against 10.4°C the previous night and the maximum temperature fell to 15.4°C which is 12.4 notches below normal.
Pahalgam recorded a minimum of 8.6°C against 7.6°C on the previous night while the maximum day temperature fell 14°C which is 12°C below normal. Kokernag recorded a low of 11.1°C against 9.3°C the previous night with maximum day temperature plummeting to 15.7°C which is 11.3°C below normal.
Ski-resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of 4.6°C against 4.4°C the previous night while maximum day temperature fell to 7.5°C which is 12°C below normal.
Kupwara recorded a low of 11.3°C against 11.8°C the previous night and the maximum temperature was recorded at 14.3°C which is 15.5°C below normal.
With the incessant rains the water level in river Jhelum which had fallen to lowest in 65 years has risen by several feet. According to Irrigation and Flood Control Department, the Jhelum was flowing at 4.3 feet in Sangam, 7.88 feet in Ram Munshi Bagh and 6.16 feet in Ashim.
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