Srinagar- After a major wet spell of the season, the weather improved across Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, while the weatherman predicted that light rains and snow would continue in the region till March 12.
Nearly 12.2 mm rainfall was recorded in Qazigund till this morning while 11.2mm precipitation was recorded in Kokernag.
Srinagar recorded a rainfall of 1.4 mm till 8:30 AM.
Batote in Jammu division received a rainfall of 28.8 mm in the intervening night of Friday-Saturday till 08:30 am today while 19.0 mm rainfall was recorded in Banihal.
The details read that 10.0 mm rainfall was recorded in Bhaderwah during the period while Jammu and Katra received the rainfall of 7.6 mm and 7.0 mm respectively till today morning.
Meanwhile, Director Meteorological department (MeT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said that generally cloudy weather is expected on Sunday with the possibility of light rain and snow at isolated places late night today as well.
He added that on March 3, there is a possibility of light to moderate rain and snow at most places, adding that few higher reaches of North & Central Kashmir may receive moderate to heavy snowfall.
From March 4 to 9, he said generally dry weather is expected during the period, adding that a fresh spell of rain and snow is expected between March 10 and 12.
Moreover, the MeT has issued an advisory, advising the tourists, travellers and transporters to follow administration and traffic advisory.
“Farmers should suspend irrigation & other farm operations till March 4. Landslides, rock fall and shooting stones are expected at vulnerable places,” the advisory reads.
“Avoid sloppy slopes & avalanche prone areas & follow DGRE’s avalanche warning and bulletin,” it adds.
Pertinently, J&K witnessed moderate rain and snowfall for the past four days, especially from February 26 to February 28, which led to the increase in the water level in all the water bodies including river Jhelum.
Jammu-Srinagar Highway Reopens
The strategic 270-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar national highway has been reopened for light motor vehicles after road restoration work was carried out on Saturday, officials said.
The arterial road — the only all-weather road linking Kashmir to the rest of the country — was closed on Thursday evening following heavy snowfall and multiple landslides in Ramban district.
Heavy rains had triggered shooting stones, mudslides and landslides at a dozen places, including Kishtwari Pather, Moum Passi, Hingni, Panthiyal, Mehar and Dalwas, while snowfall between Qazigund and Ramsu left the road slippery.
A side of the road near Mehar has caved in, while a major landslide has blocked one tube of the Kunfer-Peerah tunnel.
The road repair was hampered by continuous rains on Friday, officials said.
They said restoration of the 66-km Banihal-Nashri stretch was intensified on Saturday morning after the weather conditions improved.
“Light motor vehicles carrying passengers are allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar, and from the Valley towards Jammu,” a traffic department spokesperson said after the road was reopened.
He cautioned the commuters to follow lane discipline and avoid overtaking, which causes congestion.
“The passengers are advised to take the highway only during day-time and avoid unnecessary halting between Ramban and Banihal since there are apprehensions of landslides and shooting stones. The heavy motor vehicles shall be allowed later, after a thorough assessment of the condition of the road,” the spokesperson said.
Ramban deputy commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary said there are at least 16 locations along the 66-km road stretch that were rendered vulnerable by the rains.
“The road has been cleared in almost all the places, except in Mehar, where the width has shrunk after the sinking of the side portion. This spot is a challenge. The concerned agency will address this in the next two weeks,” he told reporters in Banihal.
Chaudhary, along with Ramban Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kuldeep Singh and SSP (national highway) Rohit Raskotra, reviewed the vulnerable locations.
Chaudhary said the landslide at Peerah will not hamper the traffic, which has been diverted through the other tube.
“All the stranded vehicles have been cleared,” he said, advising commuters to follow the traffic advisories before taking the highway.
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