The heavy downpour at multiple places and intermittent rains as well as the fresh spell of snowfall on Monday brought the normal life to a standstill in Jammu & Kashmir while as a young boy lost his life and seven others stuck under the debris were rescued in separate incidents.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), some of the areas were cut off with the rest of the Valley as the major roads and the highways remained closed due to the fresh wet spell in Jammu & Kashmir.
Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, Baseer-ul-Haq, said that a minor boy aged between 9-10 years has lost his life after a rock fell on a residential house in Kalapani, Satarsu area of Ramban late afternoon. “A house where two-three families were living got damaged after a rock fell on it, leaving a minor boy dead, whose hand has been retrieved so far,” he said, adding that the rescue operation has been launched to trace the rest parts of the body of the minor boy, aged between 9-10 years.
In a similar incident, the landslide damaged a residential house in Bujthala area of Uri in north Kashmir where seven persons were simultaneously buried under the debris.
“Seven persons have been rescued so far from the debris after a landslide hit a residential house in the locality,” officials said.
Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Minga Sherpa wrote on X: “Team of Dist Admin B’la @BaramullaPolice & Lachhipura Battalion of @ChinarcorpsIA along with locals rescued 7 persons trapped under debris after their house collapsed due to heavy rains in Bujhthala, Tehsil Boniyar, Uri. Two persons injured in the incident are being shifted to the nearest medical facility for treatment.”
Moreover, a government building, housing the Handloom department’s office has suffered damage in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district also.
Amidst the persistent wet spell, several areas of J&K including Machil (2 ft), Sadhna Top (2.5 ft), Sonamarg (3-4 inches), Tulail Gurez (1.5ft), Zojila Pass (1 ft), Gulmarg (2-3 inches), Pir Ki Gali (over 1 ft), Sinthan Top (over 1 ft), Razdan Pass (over 1ft) and other areas experienced fresh snowfall, while the rains continued to lash the plains including Srinagar, the summer capital of the Union Territory, leading to rapid increase in the water level in all the water bodies here.
During the last 24 hours, Srinagar has recorded a rainfall of 38.6mm while Qazigund and Pahalgam in South Kashmir have recorded a precipitation of 64.4 mm and 51.7 mm respectively.
According to the details, Kupwara in north Kashmir and Kokernag in south have recorded a rainfall of 4.2 mm and 43.6 mm rainfall respectively, the details available with KNO, reads.
In the last 24 hours, Gulmarg, a famous ski-resort, has received a precipitation of 30.2mm.
Director Meteorological department (MeT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad told KNO that the intensity of rains have decreased in a number of areas this evening and there is a forecast of dry spell from May 01-May 05.
He added that the weather is expected to remain wet till late evening and a light spell of rain is expected tomorrow as well.
However, as per the advisory issued by MeT, the farmers have been advised to suspend farm operations till tomorrow.
Temporary disruption of traffic over higher reaches of Zojila, Sinthan Pass, Mughal Road, Razdan pass etc, the advisory reads, adding that water logging is expected in low lying areas and there is a possibility of landslides & shooting stones.
Temporary increase in water level in Jhelum & tributaries and other local streams & Nallas are expected, the advisory reads.
However, the fresh wet spell has not affected the power supply anywhere across Kashmir, the government has said.
Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) Chief Engineer, Sandeep Seth told KNO that the power supply remains uninterrupted across Kashmir valley till Monday late evening.
“As per our assessment, we have distributed over 1300 Megawatts of power on Monday that depicts there are no issues or any major fault in electricity in almost all parts of the valley,” he said.
On asking about the precautionary measures in view of incessant rains in Kashmir valley, the Chief Engineer said that we are monitoring the situation round the clock. “We deal issues in accordance to the weather situations.”—(KNO)
