Weather took a turn in Kashmir valley on Tuesday as incessant rain lashed the plains and snowfall was recorded in higher reaches plummeting temperature to several notches and forcing people to resume usage of woollens. The weather is likely to remain wet for next three days, met officials said.
The change in weather did not go down well with hundreds of tourists who had arrived in Srinagar to watch the riot of colours at famed Tulip Garden in the lap of Zabarwan hills in Srinagar. The garden was thrown open for tourists last week as over a million tulips of varied hues were on full bloom. The Valley had recorded a sunny day on Monday.
The officials in the Meteorological (MeT) department said the weather would continue to remain wet in the next three days. “There is possibility of heavy to moderate rains till Friday,” he said adding western disturbances (WD) were active over the state causing weather alteration.
The roads in capital Srinagar were inundated by the incessant rainfall due to faulty drainage system. Sources said that several hilly areas including Gurez valley in north Kashmir’s Bandipora area
Meanwhile, the one way traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway continued to ply normally despite the heavy rains in the Valley.
The provincial administration issued weather advisory saying heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms were likely to continue till April 6 in the Kashmir division.
The advisory further said that there is possibility of landslides and snow avalanches at vulnerable areas of Srinagar-Jammu and Srinagar-leh highways on April 5 and 6.
While the farmers have been advised to postpone their farm management practices, like spraying of orchards and application of fertilizers, the intending passengers have been told to contact their respective traffic control rooms before embarking on their journeys, an official spokesman said.
The concerned Deputy Commissioners have been asked to take all the precautionary measures in their respective areas of jurisdiction.