Heavy rainfall hits parts of Jammu and Kashmir early Saturday morning, bringing an end to a lengthy period of dry weather in the Union Territory.
The Srinagar Meteorological Centre has forecasted intense rain spells at various locations in Jammu and Kashmir, with the possibility of heavy rain in the Jammu division on August 19 and 20.
The weather centre warned of “flash floods, cloud bursts, landslides, shooting stones, and mudslides at vulnerable places on August 19 and 20,” as stated on August 16.
Following the rainfall, maximum temperatures on Saturday have dropped across Jammu and Kashmir to 28°C from the pre-rain high of 35°C.
This year has been one of the hottest in J&K’s recorded history, with maximum temperatures reaching as high as 37°C.
However, in some places, the heavy rainfall caused significant damage to roads in the Kangan area of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal.
A resident reported, “Many areas have been affected due to floods following heavy rainfall. Naib tehsildar inspected the spot but no senior official arrived.
We request the administration to build check dams, and drains which have been encroached should be opened to allow the water to flow.”
Additionally, on August 15, a cloudburst in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir triggered a flash flood.
The cloudburst was reported in the Arin area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora, causing widespread flooding and submerging many areas. Fortunately, there were no reports of casualties.
Experts attribute this late rainfall to the climate change patterns observed in several Himalayan regions.
A recent report from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated that Jammu and Kashmir, along with several northern and Northeastern states, have experienced shrinking forest covers, leading to changes in annual weather patterns.
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