Waterlogging Troubles Kashmir parts
Weatherman predicts improvement from Thursday, Sgr-Jmu highway remain closed
Suhail Khan
Srinagar, Mar 24 : Normal life was disrupted in Kashmir on consecutive 4th day on Wednesday due to heavy rainfall causing landslides and flash floods in parts of valley.
According to Kashmir Despatch, as continue rains lashed Kashmir for the fourth consecutive day while the higher reaches in Kashmir received a fresh spell of snowfall bringing down the temperatures.
From Sunday evening, the valley received moderate to heavy rains in plains while upper reaches received light to moderate snowfall.
The Department of Irrigation and Flood Control on Wednesday clarified that there is no danger of floods in the Kashmir Valley at present as the water level inside the Jhelum River is well below the danger mark, however, Incessant rains during the last three days has caused waterlogging in many parts of Kashmir valley.
People complained of “poor drainage network in parts of Kashmir and termed it the main reason for waterlogging, and blamed the government for the same.
Meanwhile, The Meteorological Department has predicted a significant improvement in weather from Thursday onwards.
An official told Kashmir Despatch that in last 24 hours, Gulmarg received 15 cms (6 inches) of fresh snowfall,
He said the famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district recorded minimum temperature of minus 2.5°C against minus 0.9°C on the previous night.
Srinagar, he said, received 30.9mm of rainfall during the time while mercury settled at 4.6°C, same as recorded on the previous night in the summer capital of the J&K.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, received highest rainfall in Valley—47.2mm in the last 24 hours and recorded a low of 4.0°C against 4.6°C on the previous night, he said.
Mercury settled at 0.3°C against 3.2°C on the earlier night at Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir which also received 26.4mm of rain during the time, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of 2.8°C against previous night’s 3.6°C while it received 32.1mm of rain in the 24 hours, the official said.
The minimum temperature settled at 1.6°C in Kupwara against 3.6°C on the previous night, the official said. The north Kashmir district received rainfall of 34.8mm during the time, he said. There are reports about waterlogging in some low-lying areas in the Valley.
Manwhile, Jammu-Srinagar highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir Valley with outside world, continues to be closed due to landslides, mudslides and shooting stones at several places along the thoroughfare.
The authorities said that stranded traffic between Nashree and Banihal shall be allowed towards their destinations provided the debris was cleared. Also, there would be no traffic on Friday in connection with the weekly maintenance on Friday.
“Jammu-Srinagar highway is still closed due to landslides/mudslides/shooting stones at several places. However, subject to clearance of debries, stranded vehicles between Nashree and Banihal shall be allowed towards their destinations,” a traffic official said in a communiqué to Kashmir Despatch.
“On 26-03-2021 (Friday), there shall be no traffic movement on Jammu-Srinagar highway from either side in view of maintenance/repairing of the highway,” he said. Several hundred vehicles are stranded due to the closure on the strategic road for the last more than two days now.
The Mughal road, connecting Poonch and Shopian districts also remained blocked due to snow accumulation.
