Monsoon touches Srinagar, night temperature still above normal

Srinagar, July 10 (UNI) The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir remained hot with night temperature still above normal despite first monsoon showers last night.

More rainfall is predicted in the next 24 hours.

Life remained affected because of acute shortage of water and frequent power cuts, forcing people to take to the streets.

A spokesman for the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told UNI that monsoon showers finally reached the Kashmir valley last evening. It brought some respite to the people who were facing heat wave conditions for about a week with both night and day temperatures up by several degrees from normal.

He said 9.4 mm rainfall was recorded in Srinagar since last evening.

The minimum temperature, which remained one degree above normal, was recorded at 19.5 degree Celsius this morning, he said.

The Met office said the maximum temperature recorded yesterday was 35.5 degree Celsius, which is five degrees above normal. It was the hottest day of the season.

The Met office predicted some respite for the people from hot and humid weather conditions during the next few days, saying the mighty Pir Panjal ranges were obstructing the monsoon winds.

The residents of several parts of the summer capital and the Valley have complained of acute shortage of drinking water and electricity. Several areas in the city were without electricity for many hours yesterday and today.

People at Saraibala near here took to the streets this morning protesting against shortage of drinking water and electricity.

The demonstrators blocked traffic on the main road for several hours leading to traffic jams and diversion of traffic. However, normalcy returned in the area after senior officers promised them to take up the matter with senior officers of concerned departments.

People also took to streets at other places in protest against the water shortage.

They alleged that despite the government spending crores of rupees on different water plants and other schemes, reports of water shortage have been received from almost all parts of the valley, particularly in the Srinagar city.

UNI BAS MSJ VV1332