Rains swell Jehlum, affect life in Valley, Highway Re-Opens

Srinagar: While as heavy rains for past few days have left river Jhelum and its tributaries swollen, the normal life remained disrupted in Kashmir valley for better half of the day on Monday.
An official of the flood control division here told the water level stood at 15.80-ft near Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar when measured at 1600 hours. The level is nearly two feet below the mark of 18 ft, when the flood alert is declared.
“At 0600-hours, the water level at the Ram Munshi Bagh was recorded at 14.85-ft and it remained static—15.80, when recorded at 1400-hrs and 1600-hrs,” the official said.
Similarly, the official said, water level at Sangam in Anantnag district of south Kashmir was recorded at 16.20-ft against alarming 21-ft at 1400-hrs. At 0600 hours in the morning, the water level was recorded at 14.85-ft.”
At Asham in northern Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the water level was recorded at 10.25-ft, few feet below the danger mark. At 0600-hrs, it recorded at 9.08-ft. however the official said that the water level would decrease with the improvement in the weather besides there was not much rainfall in catchment areas.
The incessant rains continued in valley throughout the day yesterday and for most part of the Monday.
A weather official here said that Srinagar, the summer capital of the city, received a downpour of 25.2mm in last 30-hours till 0230 this afternoon.
Due to the rainfall, most of the low-laying areas including Mehjoor Nagar, Lasjan, Bemina, Natipora areas were swamped and at places there was nearly knee-deep water. Similar reports were received from various areas of the old city including Lal Bazaar and interiors of Soura.
Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu highway received 38.6 mm rain while the health resort, Pahalgam had downpour equivalent to 26.3mm.  Another southern Kashmir region Kokernag received 24.2mm of rain for the same time.
The north Kashmir’s Kupwara district had highest amount 45.0mm of rainfall in the 30-hours while Gulmarg, the world famous ski-resort, had downpour of 24.7mm in 24-hours till 0830 hours, the MeT office added.
The MeT office has predicted relative improvement in weather in next few. “Light to moderate Rain/Snow would occur at many places in J&K Divisions in next 24-hours,” the weatherman.
Meanwhile, the 300-kilometer Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link connecting
Valley with outside world, was thrown open for both ways traffic this morning. The thoroughfare was opened following clearance of debris following landslides at several places along the highway by Border Road Organization, entrusted to keep the important road open.