Finally Srinagar has rains, traffic on Kashmir highway disrupted

Srinagar, Feb 11 (UNI) Finally the fresh Western Disturbances (WD) from Pakistan ended the two-month long dry spell as the upper reaches experienced moderate to heavy snowfall while plains, including summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, had rains.

Meanwhile, traffic on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway was disrupted for about two hours following landslides, triggered by rains, at Penthal. The highway is through for traffic from Jammu to Sriangar today, he said. However, the 434-km-long Srinagar- Leh highway remained closed since November last year due to heavy snowfall.

The WD, which were going astray, had finally entered the state from north Pakistan and almost all the upper reaches in the state had moderate to heavy snowfall since yesterday.

Reports reaching here said about two feet of fresh snowfall was experienced at sadhna top in the frontier district of Kupwara. All high altitude areas in the North Kashmir had snowfall, it said.

However, all routes to far flung and remote areas remaind open despite snowfall.

The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg had also light snowfall while upper reaches, including Affarwat and Khilanmarg had about six inches to one feet of fresh snowfall, much to the delight of skiers and adventure lovers.

About six inches to one feet of fresh snowfall was also recorded at holy Amarnath cave its periphery, Sheshnag, Mahaguns, Pisso top and Panjtherni.

The Srinagar city and other plain areas in the valley had rains since last evening, ending the two-month long dry spell.

We will overcome the deficit rainfall, a weather office spokesman told UNI.

He said in the past, the WD crossing over to this side from Pakistan were moving towards China and other places without touching Jammu and Kashmir. However, some upper reaches were having snowfall due to these WD.

We had only 8.1 mm rainfall in Srinagar during the month of January against normal of 56.7 mm, he said.

However, he expressed hope that with improvement in the weather, the deficit rainfall will be covered during the month of February and March.

UNI