Rains lashed Kashmir Valley since Sunday night after days of dry weather even as the minimum temperatures went down at all places across Kashmir Valley while the MeT department predicted dry weather in the coming three days. Almost all places in Kashmir received rains during the Sunday night and Monday resulting in the increase in water level in River Jehlum. MeT Director Sonam Lotus told CNS that there will be significant decrease in rainfall from Tuesday morning while the weather will remain mostly dry from Tuesday to Thursday evening. “Light rainfall may occur on Tuesday but from Wednesday till Thursday evening the weather will remain dry. From Thursday evening, Valley may witness light rainfall that may continue till May 2,” Lotus said adding that there is no need to panic and the intensity of rainfall this time will not be so swift. Lotus added that the minimum temperature in all places in Kashmir division, including Ladakh region, went down since Sunday night.
A weather official informed that Srinagar city recorded 3.4 mm of rainfall while Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir, received the highest rainfall of 13.5 mm and the mercury there settled at 8.4 degrees Celsius a drop of nearly 9 degrees. Rains lash almost every part of Kashmir while wind storm in North, Central and South Kahsmir created panic among people on Sunday night. Reports said that several residential houses and cow-sheds were damaged due to intense windstorm.
Due to overnight rain, traffic authorities Monday allowed one-way traffic and vehicles were allowed to ply from Srinagar to Jammu. Pertinently, from two consecutive days—April 25-26, vehicles were allowed from Jammu to Srinagar to pave way to Durbar Move.The incessant rains which continued till late Monday evening worsened the scenario as most of the roads in the city were inundated, causing great inconvenience to the common people. The drainage failure as usual led to waterlogging and inundation of business hub Lal Chowk, Exhibition Crossing, Hari Singh High Street, Jawahar Nagar, Raj Bagh, Sonawar, TRC Crossing and other areas. Authorties had pressed dewatering pumps to log out water from the localities and roads.
Due to incessant rains, the nallahs and flood channels witnessed a steep rise in water level. In North Kahsmir’s Handwar town, a ten year old girl Tabasum Gulzar Mir of Gujjarpati Wudarbala lost her life when she slipped to death in a local nallah while on way to her school from the home. Reports said that police started an operation to flush out her body. In Gulab-Sheikh Safapora area on Srinagar-Bandipora road, traffic was disrupted for hours after the road started caved in due to incessant rains. In South Kashmir’s Baramulla district scores of people took to roads after Nanak Bhavan market was flooded with rain water. The rain waters reportedly entered into several shops prompting traders to stage protest against the government. The protesters demanded dewatering of water from the market. Police and civil administration officials rushed to spot and pacified the protesting traders. (CNS)