New Delhi: The Srinagar-Leh highway has been closed for vehicular movement after fresh mudslides in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Heavy rain in Kullan Gund area in Central Kashmir triggered the mudslide on Monday.
The highway was closed immediately after the mudslides at Kullan Gund. According to officials, the highway got completely blocked, and officials immediately pressed men and machine into service to clear it.
Srinagar-Sonmarag road blocked too
Meanwhile, Srinagar-Sonmarag road has been blocked near Shah Mohallah Kullan and the traffic was diverted through another Link Road.
The India Metrological Department has predicted more rain in the region after below par downpour in the early monsoon season.
“Usually, Jammu and Kashmir does not get enough rains in September as the monsoon begins to withdraw. But we are expecting 1-2 good spells over the next two weeks, especially over Jammu. However, there won’t be much rain in the upper Kashmir regions. Still overall, the monsoon rains may end as normal, or slightly on the higher side,” News18 quoted Mukhtar Ahmed, scientist from MeT Centre Srinagar, as saying.
Late monsoon rains in J&K
Jammu and Kashmir witnesses the monsoon withdrawal from around September 20, but this year there might be a delay.
“We are witnessing a delayed withdrawal of the monsoon over the years, especially over North-west India. This season too, we are expecting heavy rains over Gujarat and Rajasthan around September 15 so there could be a delay, but difficult to predict weeks in advance,” News18 quoted IMD chief Dr M Mohapatra as saying.
There have been concerns if the rain would impact the upcoming elections in the Union Territory. The weather department has, however, said that it would not impact the polls. Jammu and Kashmir assembly is scheduled to go to polls in three phases starting September 18. The voting for ssecond phase will take place on September 25 while the third phase on October 1. The counting of votes, which was scheduled for October 4 has been pushed back to October 8.
