Srinagar: Mercury plunged by a few notches in Kashmir valley ahead of the weather department’s forecast of more rains in plains and fresh snowfall on higher reaches, including the famous skiing resort of Gulmarg.
“Scattered to widespread rain/thunderstorm and snowfall over higher reaches like Gulmarg, Zojila, and on higher reaches of Leh-Manali Highway is likely during April 21-22. Thereafter, mainly dry weather is expected till ending April,” Director Meteorological Department, Sonam Lotus said.
Meanwhile, a meteorological department official said that Srinagar recorded a low of 7.2 degree Celsius against 7.6 degree Celsius on the previous night. It was 0.7 degree Celsius below normal in the summer capital of J&K.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, saw a low of 4.9°C against previous night’s 7.4°C, the official said.
Pahalgam recorded a low of 1.4 degree Celsius same as on the previous night which was 2 degree Celsius below normal, he said. The mercury settled at 5.0 degree Celsius at Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, against previous night’s 4.8 degree Celsius and 6.5 degree Celsius normal for the area during this time of the season, the official said. Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of 4.5 degree Celsius against 4.8 degree Celsius on the previous night, the official said.
Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.0 degree Celsius against 0.5 degree Celsius on the previous night which was below 2.3 degree Celsius than the normal for the area, the official said.
Landslide Blocks Highway
The traffic on 270-km Srinagar-Jammu highway on Tuesday was suspended after a landslide hit the vital road link in Ramban District.
The landslide occurred near Cafeteria Morh in Ramban on Tuesday morning prompting the officials to suspend traffic movement on the highway, reports said. The Beacon authorities, reports said, pressed into service its men and machinery to clear the highway from debris and make it motorable for traffic.
The closure of the highway, reports said, left hundreds of vehicles stranded on the road stretch.
“The road clearance will take 2 to 3 more hours” a senior officer said.
Due to the road blockade, hundreds of Jammu bound trucks which were released for traffic on late night Monday from Qazigund got stuck on the highway between Ramban and Ramsoo areas, an official said.
“Besides, the scheduled passenger traffic for today from Jammu to Srinagar has also been stopped at Nagrota and Udhampur” he added.
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