In Jammu and Kashmir, the vehicular traffic on the 270 Km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH44) was suspended yesterday evening following multiple landslides triggered by heavy rain. The only all-weather road which links Kashmir valley with rest of the country was blocked at several places between Nashri and Ramsu besides at Samroli due to landslides and shooting stones. Two trucks have also turned turtle on road at Sher Bibi in Ramban. Hundreds of stranded passengers have been accommodated by administration in shelter sheds, schools and offices. Police, QRTs and road clearance agencies are on job and are working on war footing in order to make the road trafficable.
The national highway was closed after overnight rain triggered landslides and shooting of stones from the hillocks at various places including Cafeteria Morh, Duggi Pulli (Chanderkote) and Panthiyal in Ramban district. No fresh traffic, which was scheduled to ply from Jammu towards Srinagar, was allowed today. Batote-Doda-Kishtwar National Highway (NH 244) was also blocked at Raggi Nallah due to heavy rains since last night. District administration has ordered closure of all the educational institutions across the Ramban district today in view of heavy rain and overflowing of Nallahs/mudslides at several locations.
General public of the district are advised not to venture out unnecessarily near the river Chenab and other Nallahs as there may be increase in water level. The public is also advised not to plan travel on the National Highway as it is blocked at several places due to multiple landslides. Moreover, on and off showers continued across the UT yesterday even as mercury stayed 11 to 16 degrees Celsius below the normal at most places.
Continuous rain spells since June 18 have led to a sharp dip in mercury. The summer capital, Srinagar, recorded a maximum temperature of 15 degrees Celsius, which was 14.2 degrees below the average. Jammu City, recorded a maximum temperature of 24.7 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature in the city was 13.5 degrees below the normal for this time of the year.
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