Unprecedented heat with temperatures shooting up to 36 degrees Celsius in Ladakh have led to disruption of flights for the first time ever at India’s highest commercial airport Leh, with the high-altitude air said to be “too thin” for aircraft to operate safely.
Several flights, including IndiGo and SpiceJet, were cancelled due to warm weather conditions even as rain brought much-needed relief in parts of Jammu and Kashmir from record high temperatures.
Official sources reported that due to the heat wave, numerous flights in the Leh sector of Ladakh had been cancelled over the past two days, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.
“Due to ongoing weather conditions in Leh today, four flights (three IndiGo and one Spicejet) have been cancelled,” said an Airports Authority of India official on Monday.
This is the first time in six years that such cancellations have occurred due to rising temperatures in Ladakh.
Media outlets quoted a LinkedIn post by Chetan Singh Solanki, an IIT Bombay professor, attributing the flight disruption to decreased air density in the region, caused by the unprecedented warm weather in Leh.
“IndiGo and Spice Jet flights have been particularly affected, leaving hundreds of passengers feeling helpless.
“On Monday, four IndiGo flights had to be cancelled, along with flights from some other airlines. This issue has persisted since Saturday," officials said.
Airlines in Leh announced that flights had to be cancelled or rescheduled due to temperatures rising as high as 36 degrees Celsius.
However, morning flights from different airlines have not been affected. Managers from various airlines declined to speak to the media, stating they were not authorised to do so.
Meanwhile, most parts of Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, experienced rainfall, bringing relief to residents after a prolonged spell of dry, hot, and humid weather.
Locals, especially orchardists and farmers said they were happy with the rain after the long dry spell and high temperatures.
The Met office has also forecast that “From August 1 to 7, the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy with intermittent light to moderate rain and thundershowers in many places in the Kashmir Valley and most areas in the Jammu Division.”
The Meteorological Department has also issued an advisory warning that intense showers for brief periods may cause flash floods, cloudbursts, landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones in vulnerable areas of Jammu and Kashmir. There is also a possibility of heavy rainfall at a few places in the Jammu Division.
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