Heavy rains, snowfall end dry spell

National Highway, Mughal road closed; Police rescues 40 vehicles stuck up at Jawahar tunnel

JAMMU: Over a month-long dry spell in the state ended today with heavy rains-first of this winter- lashing the entire region continuously over the day while the higher reaches receiving fresh snowfall, leading to a rise in minimum temperature at most places across the State.
Heavy downpour followed by season’s first snowfall at higher reaches forced the authorities to close 300-long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway Monday evening, even as police teams rescued 40 vehicles which got stuck up in sudden snowfall and inclement weather conditions at Jawahar Tunnel.
The minimum temperature across the Jammu region also rose by several notches to settle above average during this part of the season as the city and other plains were lashed by rains.
Jammu city had last witnessed light rains on November 15 after over two months of dry spell, with today’s rainfall recorded at 6.4 mm till early morning.
In Valley, many areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall during the night, the Meteorological (MeT) Department officials said.
They said Gulmarg, the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir, recorded 15 cm (about six inches) of fresh snowfall till 8:30 am this morning.
The officials said light snowfall was also recorded at the other famous health resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir.
There are reports of snowfall in other areas in the higher reaches of the valley like Gurez, Tulail, Razdan Pass, Sonamarg, Zojila, Amarnath Cave, Sadhna Top and Affarwat.
The officials said plain areas in Kashmir, including the summer capital Srinagar, received rains which were going on at many places.
This is the first major wet spell during the current season in the state, they said.
The cloud cover in the sky brought respite from the intense cold wave conditions as the mercury rose by several degrees across the Kashmir division, except at Gulmarg.
The officials said Gulmarg was the only place in the Kashmir Valley where the night temperatures decreased last night and settled below the freezing point.
In Jammu region, about one feet of snow was recorded in the Peer Ki Gali area along the Mughal road, connecting twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri with south Kashmir Shopian district, till this morning, they said.
Mughal road, an alternate link between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, was closed for vehicular traffic due to snowfall, the officials said.
The traffic on the Mughal road was suspended around 4:00 pm yesterday as a precautionary measure in view of the weather forecast indicating possibility of moderate to heavy snowfall in the high altitude areas under the influence of western disturbance from December 11 to 14, an official said.
"No vehicle was allowed to move on the road from either side this morning. A 25-km stretch of the road from Peer Ki Gali to Pachana (Poonch) is covered by snow," he said.
The Police had a tough time helping people stranded as the traffic movement was closed on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway Monday evening.
Though most of the vehicles got stranded at the NH from both the sides have been cleared till evening and only less than 100 passenger vehicles have been stranded in Ramban district.
SSP Ramban, Mohan Lal, who visited various places where the vehicles got stranded, told The News Now that heavy rains in entire Ramban district till morning and later in the afternoon triggered landslides in landslides prone areas while Banihal, Nowgam and Jawahar Tunnel received first snowfall of this season making some odd vehicles stranded.”
“Over 40 passenger vehicles (Including private cars and taxis) were stranded in heavy snowfall at Jawahar Tunnel, but timely rescued by the police and all the vehicles were taken back to Banihal town and now parked under the shelter, SSP Ramban said.
“All the passengers also have been shifted to the safer places,” added SSP Mohan Lal. Meanwhile, 25 vehicles also stranded at Ramban town and stopped by the authorities following closure of the road.
The highway was closed for traffic movement at 5 pm due to continuous heavy rainfall at Patnitop, Ramban, Banihal and snowfall on both sides of the Jawahar Tunnel. Panthial also witness shooting stones and landslides.
After the closure of Jammu-Srinagar NH, the police and traffic authorities have not allowed vehicular movement from Jammu towards Kashmir region or even erstwhile Doda district.
When contacted Additional SP (Udhampur), Faizal Qureshi said that following blockage of NH, many vehicles have been stopped at Udhampur and not allowed to move towards higher reaches. He said the measure was taken for the safety of passengers.
“Passengers are requested to contact traffic control room Jammu & Srinagar for any help,” he said.
Meanwhile Met Department has predicted more rains and snow for next two days across Jammu and Kashmir
The MeT office has forecast moderate to heavy rains or snowfall at isolated places, especially in the higher reaches, in the state over the next two days.
The night temperatures have also dipped across the state.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 3.1 degrees Celsius, up by over four degrees from the previous night's minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, the official said, adding that the city received 4.3 mm of rainfall during the night.
The mercury at all other places in the valley settled above the freezing point.
The resort recorded a low of minus 2.4 degrees Celsius over two degrees down from the previous night's zero degrees Celsius.
They said the night temperatures in Srinagar stayed above the freezing point after 12 days.
The night temperature at Qazigund, in south Kashmir, increased by over six degrees from minus 2.1 degrees Celsius the previous night to settle at a low of 4.0 degrees Celsius.
The MeT officials said Kokernag town recorded a low of 3.1 degrees Celsius, up from 0.8 degrees Celsius the previous night.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir registered a low of 1.9 degrees Celsius compared to the previous night's minus 2.4 degrees Celsius, they said.
The health resort of Pahalgam -- which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra - registered the minimum temperature of 1.5 degrees Celsius as against minus 2.1 degrees Celsius the previous night, the officials said.
Leh continued to be the coldest recorded place in the state as the mercury settled at a low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius last night, which though, was an increase of over six degrees from minus 9.7 degrees Celsius the previous night, they said.
The nearby Kargil town recorded a low of 0.1 degrees Celsius over nine degrees up from the previous night's minus 9.2 degrees Celsius, the officials said.
The night temperature in Kargil stayed above the freezing point for the first time in about a month.
Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district, recorded a low of 11.0 degrees Celsius.