Jammu, Oct 7: Continuous heavy rainfall in the plains and fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday caused multiple landslides, leading to the suspension of traffic on key national highways and hill roads connecting the Valley with the rest of the country. Officials said that vehicular movement on the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir to the rest of India, was halted in the morning hours due to landslides and shooting of stones at several locations between Udhampur and Banihal.
Road clearance agencies were immediately mobilized to restore connectivity, and officials expressed optimism that traffic halted at Nagrota in Jammu could resume by late afternoon. Traffic on the highway is currently being allowed to ply alternately from Jammu and Srinagar in view of ongoing repair work after the road suffered extensive damage during record rainfall in August and September. The highway had been scheduled to operate from Jammu to Srinagar on Tuesday.
Alternative routes, including the 434-km Srinagar-Leh National Highway, Mughal Road, and Sinthan Top road, were also closed due to snow accumulation. Zojila Pass along the Srinagar-Leh Highway recorded six inches of snowfall, while Peer Ki Gali on the Mughal Road and Sinthan Top in Kishtwar district witnessed three to four inches. Snowfall was also reported from upper reaches of Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch districts. Authorities advised travelers to avoid venturing into affected areas until roads are fully restored.
The inclement weather and overnight downpour in the plains caused a significant drop in temperatures. Jammu city recorded a maximum of 21.3°C, about 11.1°C below normal, while the minimum fell to 15°C. Udhampur recorded the highest rainfall in 24 hours at 100.2 mm, followed by Batote (98.2 mm), Banihal (75.8 mm), Katra (44 mm), and Jammu city (38.6 mm).
Due to the extreme weather, all government and private schools across the Jammu division remained closed for the second consecutive day. The pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi temple atop Trikuta Hills in Reasi district and the Machail Mata shrine in Kishtwar district was suspended for the third consecutive day. Both pilgrimages are expected to resume on Wednesday as per official announcements.
The meteorological department forecast that the overall weather is likely to improve from Wednesday onwards, with no rain or snowfall expected for the next fortnight, bringing relief to residents, travelers, and pilgrims across the region. (Agencies)
