NH blocked after rain, landslides; flood damages bridge in Poonch

Snowfall on hills, one dies in house collapse

Gopal Sharma
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Jan 19: The busy Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed after rain and landslides in Ramban sector, a bridge was damaged due to windstorm and flood in Poonch area while a woman died after a muddy house collapsed in Kokernag area of Kashmir today.
With heavy rain across the region and fresh snowfall on the higher reaches of J&K, the temperature has considerably dropped.

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Official sources said that amidst heavy rain, Jammu-0in Ramban district. With this, the movement of vehicles on busy highway came to halt at around 11.45 am. The restoration work was launched after some time but the road could be restored at around 5 pm. Over 200 stranded vehicles were cleared but again the highway was closed at Mehar, Cafeteria Morh and Dalwas due to mud-slides at around 6 pm. The highway was closed till late tonight, the official said.

SSP Traffic National Highway, Rohit Baskotra said that there was heavy rain again in the area in the afternoon and evening. The road at Mehar and Dalwas has become dangerous. The mud-slides continue to accumulate on the highway. A large number of vehicles have been stranded on both sides. There was no hope of road clearance during night, he added.
Baskotra further said that polling parties with EVMs from Banihal side reached district headquarters after the highway was cleared. From the other side, Maitra road was used while at Dalwas the road has become narrow and dangerous. The efforts were being made to clear this patch, he added.
A foot bridge was damaged along with water supply pipes passing over it, after wind storm and flood in Nallah hit it at Chakatroo, in Mandi area of Poonch today.
Locals said that at about 4:30 pm, strong winds caused extensive damage to the foot bridge completely leaving it damaged. Hundreds of people including school children of Kehnu, Kulani, Seri Khawaja, Seri Chowana use to reach home through this only bridge. It takes more time after covering 3 Kms of distance, through alternate route to the people to reach home.

Pertinent to mention that Police authorities at Chakatroo soon closed the bridge so that no loss of life is caused during attempt to cross the bridge Locals urged the administration to immediately repair the bridge so that people do not suffer for long.
Reports from Kashmir said that a woman was killed today after a muddy- house collapsed while incessant rains lashed Kashmir with snowfall in the hills bringing down temperatures across the region.
A 50-year-old woman died after her ‘Kotha’ (Muddy-house) collapsed due to a mud-slide in Kokernag  in district Anantnag. A mud-slide, caused by incessant rains at Takiya Magam, Kokernag, damaged a Kotha belonging to Abdul Hamid, son of Abdul Rehman Ahanger. His wife Saleema Begum was trapped under the debris and sustained injuries. She was taken to GMC Anantnag for treatment, where she succumbed to her injuries.
The fresh snowfall in higher reaches and rains in the plains of Kashmir for the second straight day brought the mercury down in the Valley while the Weatherman has predicted an improvement in the weather conditions from tonight.
Several higher reaches including Sadhna Top, Pir Ki Gali, Zojila, Sinthan Top, Razdan Top and Tulail in Gurez continued to receive fresh snowfall for the second straight day while the plains including Srinagar, were lashed by the intermittent rains.
An official said that Peer Ki Gali recorded 8 inches of snow for the last two days, Sinthan Top 10 inches, Razdan Pass one ft,  Zojila Pass 6 inches, Sadhana Pass 10 inches and Machil 8 inches.
With the plummeting of the mercury, the chilly winter conditions prevailed yet again across the Valley.
Compared to 17.7 degree Celsius yesterday, Srinagar today recorded a maximum temperature of 15.5 degree Celsius, Qazigund also recorded a maximum temperature of 13.6 degree Celsius compared to 15.5 degree Celsius yesterday.
In Pahalgam, the mercury settled at 11.8 degree Celsius compared to 12.5 degree Celsius yesterday while 13.0 degree Celsius was recorded in Kupwara compared to yesterday’s 14.5 degree Celsius.
Director Meteorological Department (MeT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said that the possibility of rains at scattered places on April 20 cannot be ruled out.
“From April 21-25, the weather is expected to remain generally dry while the possibility of afternoon thundershower activity at isolated places can’t be ruled out. From April 26-27, the weather would remain generally cloudy while light rain with thunder is expected at many places during the period,” he added.

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