Weather forecasts rains, snowfall in J

Jammu, Feb 27 (UNI) Undaunted cold wave continued to make the mercury dip, paralysing normal life in Jammu and Kashmir today even as weathermen predicted heavy rains and snowfall in different parts of the state during the next two days.

'There will be heavy isolated rains and snowfall during next 48 hours in the state,'' Met officials said.

Cold conditions have revived in the state due to the strong western disturbance, they added.

According to sources, Trikuta hills of famous Mata Vaishnodevi shrine have experienced fresh snowfall. Higher reaches in other districts of state also received snowfall.

At Jammu, mercury plummeted to 14.6 degree celsius, as recorded at 1430 hrs.

Meanwhile, vehicular movement on the 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for the seventh consecutive day due to fresh landslides and shooting stones, triggered by heavy rains at Penthal.

Road network in several parts also remained blocked due to fresh rains, particularly in Kalidhar range of mountains in the south-west Udhampur that connects winter capital to the bordering Poonch district.

According to reports, Kargil and Drass in Ladakh area experienced about six inches of fresh snowfall since this morning.

UNI