Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Aug 8: Normal life was thrown out of gear due to heavy rains that lashed Jammu and its adjoining area this morning resulting into flood like situation at various places even as overall rainfall deficit in the region this monsoon is still above 50 percent.
Due to flash floods, one person was feared washed away in the Devika river at Udhampur when a foot bridge on Devika Ghat near Raghunath Palace collapsed, early this morning.
The deceased, identified as Nand Kishore Gandotra, an employee of 1-FOD in Udhampur, was crossing the bridge that linked Sai Temple and Ram Temple on Devika Ghat. His body was not traced out till filing of this report even as the District Administration had launched major search with the help of Army divers soon after the incident.
Till 8.30 of this morning, the total rainfall registered in Jammu district was 30.6 ml that threw the normal life out of gear for a few hours in the morning. Roads were seen filled with rain water at several places, particularly at low lying areas such as Dogra Chowk and near GGM Science College.
Due to heavy rainfall and water logging, vehicular traffic virtually came to standstill at various places while in Gangyal and Sanjay Nagar area, rainwater entered into several houses.
Traffic on Jammu-Pathankote National Highway near Hatli Morh remain suspended for around one hour following flash flood in Mugar Khud.
Even as Udhampur district registered only 4.3 ml rainfall, it was 62.9 ml in Reasi thus resulting into flash floods in Devika river and other nallahs. However, there was no other report of loss of life or major property damage due to rainfall or flash flood.
Though there was a rise of water level in Tawi as well as in Chenab river following heavy rainfall in the morning, the same remained below the alert mark.
The heavy rainfall in the morning also led to slight dip in maximum temperature and increase in humidity, here today.
The maximum temperature registered today by the Weather Observatory at Chatha campus of the Agriculture University was 31.06 degree Celsius while the Relative Humidity was 96 (Morning) and 93 (Evening), informed Prof B C Sharma, head of the Agrometrolgy in SKUAST Jammu.
Predicting that light to moderate showers are expected in isolated places in Jammu in the next three days, Prof Sharma informed that the rainfall deficit in the State from June 1 to August 8 was still high with -46 percent departure though the situation has improved during the last few days.
In Jammu region, the percent departure is -54 as only 228.1 mm actual rainfall has been registered so far against the normal 495.3 mm.
District Poonch has remained the worst affected as the percent departure in rainfall there during this period was -90. It is followed by Udhampur where the rainfall percent departure is -81. Till date, Jammu district has registered 46 percent less rainfall than the normal during monsoon.
Follow our WhatsApp channel