Traffic halted on Jammu-Srinagar highway due to torrential rains

Jammu, Sep 2 (PTI) — Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was halted once again on Tuesday due to torrential rains affecting extensive parts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials reported. The 250-km highway, the sole all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, was blocked after rains caused mudslides and stone shooting from hillocks between the Samroli and Banihal sector, they stated. A traffic department official mentioned that vehicular movement was banned as a precautionary step considering the adverse weather conditions and the heavy rain forecast. On Monday evening, a spokesperson from the meteorological department forecasted moderate to heavy rainfall across most of the Jammu division on September 2 and 3. He predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall over regions like Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, and Reasi and moderate to heavy rainfall in Doda, Samba, Rajouri, Poonch, Ramban, Kishtwar in Jammu, and Anantnag, Kulgam in south Kashmir, primarily during late-night September 2 to early morning September 3, extending to late afternoon. There remains a possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, stone shootings from hillocks at vulnerable points, and increased water levels in rivers and streams, prompting the public to avoid water bodies and landslide-prone areas. The highway had partially reopened on Monday after a six-day closure, with most stranded traffic, including trucks carrying essential commodities to Kashmir, being cleared. As of the latest reports, the downpour continued over most parts of the Jammu region. According to the MET department, in the past 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Tuesday, Kathua district recorded the highest rainfall of 25.2 mm, followed by Jammu with 17.8 mm, Batote in Ramban with 17.6 mm, and Katra with 15.8 mm. In Kashmir Valley, Qazigund on the Jammu-Srinagar highway recorded 23.2 mm of rain overnight, whereas Gulmarg in north Kashmir witnessed 14.8 mm, Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded 11.4 mm, and Srinagar had 6.1 mm, the spokesman noted. However, the rains ceased before dawn in the valley, giving way to a bright morning sun.