Thousands march to Sufi shrine, pray for rain
Fayaz Bukhari /
Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, July 28: Srinagar and Leh cities turned hotter than Jammu today as the heat wave in Kashmir peaked with summer capital city (Srinagar) recording the season’s hottest day at 36.2°C and it was the 4th warmest day ever in the month of July.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
While Jammu City recorded a maximum temperature of 32.0 degree C today as compared to Saturday’s temperature of 35.1 degrees C and 35.2 deg on Friday, Srinagar recorded the maximum temperature of 36.2 degree C, which is 4.2 deg C higher than that of Jammu and 6.3 deg above normal for this day of the season on Sunday.
Bhaderwah and Banihal towns of the region were also warmer at 33.2 deg and 34.0 deg C, respectively than Jammu today besides Leh town which, recorded a maximum temperature of 33.5 deg C on Sunday. Due to rain during early hours today, a sharp fall in Jammu’s day temperature has been experienced. However, so significant damage due to rain has been reported.
The night temperature in Srinagar was also 5.8 deg C above normal while at Qazigund it was 13.2 degrees above normal. The highest day temperature of 36.5 deg C was recorded at Muzaffarabad in PoJK. The holy township of Katra recorded a day temperature of 31.0 deg C while Batote 29.8 deg C on Sunday.
According to the Meteorological department, Srinagar recorded this season’s hottest day at 36.2°C. It said that all-time highest maximum temperature in July for Srinagar was recorded at 38.3°C on July 10, 1946, mercury touched 37°C on July 9, 1999 and 36.6°C during 1997.
Qazigund and Kokernag recorded the highest ever maximum temperature in July at 35.6°C and 34.6°C, respectively. The previous highest ever day temperature in Qazigund at 34.5°C was recorded on July 11, 1988 while Kokernag had its highest maximum of 33.3°C on July 3, this year and 3rd highest at 33°C on July 8, 1993.
Pahalgam recorded a maximum of 31.1°C, Kupwara 35.8°C and Gulmarg 25.6°C.
Regarding forecast, a MeT official said, generally cloudy weather with intermittent spells of light to moderate rain and thundershower at scattered to fairly widespread places of Kashmir Division and widespread places of Jammu Division from July 29-31.
From August 1-4, he said, generally cloudy weather with spells of intermittent light to moderate rain and thundershowers are expected at many places of Kashmir and most places of Jammu Division.
He said intense showers are expected for a brief period with possibility of landslides/mudslides and shooting stones over few vulnerable places with possibility of heavy rainfall at few places of Jammu region.
“Significant fall in day temperature is expected from 29 July onwards,” he added.
Meanwhile, thousands of people including women marched on-foot from Chadoora town of Budgam district to the famous Sufi shrine of Sheikh Noorudin Noorani (RA) at Charar-e-Sharif to seek blessings for rain in Kashmir and ending the heat wave.
Most of the devotees were barefooted, and prayed for the rainfall that has eluded Kashmir this summer.
It may be mentioned here that special prayers for rain were held for the last few days across Kashmir. The dry and hot weather conditions have led to the drop in the water level in rivers, streams and other water bodies.
The absence of rainfall has led to crop failures, especially vegetables and the paddy has also been worst affected.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
