Rains lashed many parts of north India, including Kashmir Valley where a flood situation was declared after several houses were damaged and Srinagar-Jammu national highway was shut due to landslides, even as the MeT department predicted heavy showers in large areas of the region in the next few days.
In the national capital, overcast conditions prevailed throughout the day while some parts of the city recorded light rainfall which, according to the weather department, was “not measurable”. The department predicted rainfall for tomorrow.
“Mainly or generally cloudy sky will prevail tomorrow with possibility of rain or thunderstorm,” a MeT official said, adding that there will be mist in the morning.
Temperatures in Delhi remained within comfortable levels with the minimum settling at 20.3 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 30.1 degrees Celsius.
Heavy rains pounded several areas of Kashmir damaging many houses and leading to closure of Srinagar-Jammu national highway because of landslides with the water level in Jhelum river rising fast.
Heavy rains since yesterday have resulted in damage to at least 44 structures, including 18 houses, due to landslides in Chrar-e-Sharief area of Kashmir, officials in Srinagar said.
Although the water level in Jhelum was still four feet below the danger mark of 18 feet at Ram Munshi Bagh in the city, the rise of two feet in the past five hours has resulted in panic among the residents, the officials said.
Many shopkeepers in Srinagar’s commercial hub of Lal Chowk and its surrounding areas were seen taking out their merchandise to safer places in view of rising water level. Some shops in low lying areas of the city have been submerged due to water-logging of roads.
The Valley has been witnessing heavy rainfall since yesterday, leading to sudden surge in water level of rivers, streams and rivulets, causing panic among the residents about possibility of fresh floods.
India Meteorological Department Director General L S Rathore said here that it is the “wettest March since 1951″ in north and central India and there is possibility of rain in the next two weeks.
The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir issued an avalanche warning for seven districts of Kashmir division in view of incessant rainfall. The avalanche warning has been issued for the next 24 hours in avalanche-prone areas of Kulgam, Pulwama, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal and Kargil districts.
Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed flew in to Srinagar from winter capital Jammu to take stock of the situation and monitor steps taken to tackle it.
Two NDRF teams comprising 100 personnel have already been rushed by an IAF plane from Bhatinda in Punjab to Srinagar. (PTI)
Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh informed the Assembly in Jammu that administration is on “full alert” in the wake of heavy rains in the Valley and the situation is being monitored continuously. Singh assured the members that all precautionary measures have been put in place.
Rains and thunderstorm also lashed the mid and lower hills of Himachal Pradesh while high altitude tribal areas received fresh snowfall, causing sharp fall in mercury.
High velocity winds, accompanied by sharp showers, lashed several areas in the mid and lower hills, including state capital Shimla and Manali, while intermittent rains continued in most parts of the state.
The high altitude tribal areas and other mountain passes had fresh snowfall and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti recorded 10 cm of snow while Rohtang and Kunzam passes received 30 cm and 25 cm of snow while upper Manali region and higher reaches in Chamba had 10 cm to 15 cm of fresh snow.
Avalanche threat loomed large over high altitude tribal areas as places above 2,500 mts altitude were covered under 20 ft to 30 ft of snow, as melting of snow in coming days could accelerate glacier movement.
Dark convective clouds overcast the sky, causing fall in day temperature which had crossed the 35 degrees Celsius mark in foothills and Una recorded a high of 32.2 degrees against 35.8 yesterday. Dharamsala recorded a maximum of 23.2 degrees and Shimla 18.6 degrees Celsius, a drop of three to five notches since yesterday.
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