Weather woes to continue till Mar 13 in J&K
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 7: One person was killed and four injured when shooting stones at landsliding zones in Ramban area, hit two vehicles today while 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was blocked after landslides at several places this afternoon.
Even though warning issued by Meteorological department to ”be prepared, updated and keep vigil” has ended today evening, the weather woes will continue till March 13 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Official sources said that the upper reaches of J&K experienced fresh snowfall while plains, including Srinagar and parts of Jammu region, received light to moderate rain during the past 24 hours resulting in drop in the temperature.
Reports from Ramban said that one person was killed while another injured when a Creta vehicle No. JK01AA/9863 on way to Jammu from Srinagar was hit by shooting stones from the mountain near Marog in Ramban sector this afternoon. It was followed by massive landslides, resulting into blockade of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at around 3 pm.
The deceased was later identified as Waseem Azad, son of Mehraj Din, resident of Munawarabad, Khayam Chowk, Srinagar. The injured, Manzoor Azad, son of Ali Mohd from the same area was shifted to Ramban hospital by police.
Yet another vehicle (Tavera), bearing registration No. JK02AF/ 0157 was hit by shooting stones at Khuni Nallah in Ramsu area of Ramban, causing injuries to three persons this evening. The injured were identified as driver-Gulzar Ahmed (21), son of Ghulam Mohd, resident of Shopian; Muzamil Sheikh (34), son of Sheikh Sayed from Bihar and Syed Ahmed (17), son of Muzamil Sheikh from Bihar. The injured were shifted to PHC, Ramsu and then referred to DH Ramban. The front portion of the vehicle was extensively damaged.
After 3 pm, the Jammu -Srinagar highway remained blocked and over 4000 vehicles have been stranded at different places along the highway.
A Meteorological department spokesman on March 5 evening issued a warning to be ”prepared, updated and keep vigil” during the next 48 hours. He had said there could be widespread moderate rain and snow besides thundershowers in Jammu and Kashmir and scattered light snow in Ladakh region during the next 24 hours. There will be no large change in the weather till Saturday evening.
Today, he said there was no fresh warning but widespread light to moderate rain, snow and thundershowers over Jammu and Kashmir and scattered light snow over Ladakh during the next 24 hours is predicted. However, there could be scattered, isolated, fairly widespread and widespread rain or snow till March 13 in Jammu and Kashmir regions.
Sun made a brief appearance in the Valley today, much to the delight of people after light to moderate rain during the night. However, their joy was short-lived when Sun again went behind the clouds resulting in chilly conditions.
World famous ski resort of Gulmarg, where first-ever Khelo India-winter games were inaugurated today by Union Minister Kiren Rajiju, was coldest at minus 3.6 degree Celsius minimum temperature after fresh snowfall during the past 24 hours.
The maximum temperature at the ski resort on Friday was 4 degree Celsius and minimum temperature minus 3.6 degree which was colder than Leh in Ladakh, where it was minus 0.4 degree.
The upper reaches in north Kashmir, including the areas near the Line of Control (LoC) also received fresh snowfall during the past 24 hours. The maximum temperature at Kupwara was 10.1 degree and minimum temperature 3.5 degree.
In summer capital, Srinagar, the minimum temperature was slightly below normal at 3.2 degree. Due to rain and snow on surrounding hills, the maximum temperature in the city on Friday was 9.3 degree, 3.8 degree below normal. The mercury will remain below normal during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where there could be very light rain or snow and the maximum and minimum temperature would be around 12 degree and 3 degree respectively.
The famous resort of Pahalgam was second coldest in the Valley after the minimum temperature was minus 0.6 degree after fresh snowfall at upper reaches, including holy Amarnath cave shrine and its periphery, Panjterni, Sheshnag, Mahaguns and Pisso Top on traditional yatra route.
Upper heights, including historic Mughal Road, also received fresh snowfall in South Kashmir. Tourist resort of Kokernag in South Kashmir recorded 6.6 degree maximum and 1.2 degree minimum temperatures during the past 24 hours.
The MeT spokesman said the maximum temperature at Leh in Ladakh was 8.9 degree Celsius while the minimum temperature was minus 0.4 degree Celsius.
He said the sky would be generally cloudy and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 8 degree and minus 3 degree respectively in Leh during the next 24 hours.
In Jammu also the rain continued throughout the day. The temperature has further dropped with the continuous rain. Basohli-Bani road was also blocked after landslides while Mahore-Budhal, Mahore-Gool and many other roads in the region have been blocked due to landslides. The chopper service at Mata Vaishnodevi also remained suspended on the third day due to bad weather. There has been sharp fall in the temperature in Jammu due to continuous rain. The weather in Jammu will improve from tomorrow for a few days.
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