The Jammu-Srinagar highway was shut for traffic as heavy rains lashed the Jammu division for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, officials said. The majority of the rivers in Jammu are flowing near or above the danger mark, while waterlogging has flooded several low-lying areas in the region, they said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Department on Tuesday morning closed down the 250 km-long highway due to landslides and shooting stones from the hillocks at several places.
Vehicular movement on the highway, the only all-weather road linking the Valley with the rest of the country, was suspended at Udhampur in Jammu and Qazigund in Kashmir, they said.
They said a portion of the Paddar road near Traith Nallah was washed away in Kishtwar district, while the Ramnagar-Udhampur road in Udhampur and Jangalwar-Thathri road in Doda were closed following landslides at Konga and Thathri, respectively.
Besides reports of damage to nearly a dozen houses, other essential infrastructure was also affected in the higher reaches of the Doda, Kishtwar, and Rajouri districts.
Meanwhile, officials said the overflowing Madhopur barrage had crossed the one lakh cusec mark and was continuously rising, triggering heavy flooding in
several low-lying areas along the Ravi River in Kathua district.
The officials said water levels in the Tarna River, Ujh River, Maggar Khad, Sahar Khad, Ravi River, and their tributaries in Kathua were simultaneously rising and nearing the danger mark.
As per the MeT Department, Kathua district recorded the highest rainfall of 155.6 mm during the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 am, followed by Bhaderwah in Doda at 99.8 mm, Jammu at 81.5 mm, and Katra at 68.8 mm.
The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have issued several weather-related advisories and cautioned people to stay away from water bodies and landslide-prone zones due to bad weather conditions.
It has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall at many places in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda, and Kishtwar districts, with the possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides in high-altitude areas till August 27.
Also Read: Mughal road closed, Jammu-Srinagar highway open amid heavy rains
Follow us
