Srinagar/Jammu: The ongoing wet spell in the Kashmir Valley due to a “mega” western disturbance has brought a major relief for Jammu and Kashmir residents, bringing down the rainfall deficit from 80 percent to 42 percent, officials said on Friday.
According to the local weather office, the Valley witnessed above-normal precipitation between February 26 and 28.
“While the normal precipitation for the period would have been 15.5 mm, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed 78.4 mm precipitation which is 407 percent above the normal,” a weather department official said.
“The current wet spell has brought the deficit down from 80 percent to nearly 42 percent,” he said.
Udhampur in the Jammu region received 1,891 percent above-normal precipitation, while it was 511 percent more than what is normal for this time of the year in the Kashmir Valley’s Ganderbal.
The IMD official said that for the months of January and February, the normal precipitation was 225.4 mm but the actual precipitation for the two months was 131.5 mm, a deficit of 42 percent.
This is an improvement from the deficit of over 80 percent, he said.
At 69 percent, Kulgam is the most precipitation-deficit district in Jammu and Kashmir while Samba has a zero percent deficit.
Weather experts said the wet spell has been brought by a “mega” western disturbance that Jammu and Kashmir needed badly. “Although the dry weather situation cannot be reversed, this spell has improved the situation,” said Faizan Arif, a weather expert.
He, however, said this does not change the bigger picture as the looming threat of climate change remains as urgent as ever.
“Immediate action is crucial. Strong policies addressing climate challenges and climate adaptation must be implemented without delay. This is not just important, it is the defining issue of our time.
“Investing in climate action now will pay off in the long run. The costs of disasters, compensation, and recovery will far exceed the expenses of proactive measures. By acting early, governments can ultimately save millions/billions while protecting lives and livelihoods,” he added.
Apprehensions of a drought had increased among the people in Jammu and Kashmir as the Union territory experienced its driest year in five decades in 2024 with below-normal precipitation continuing for the fifth consecutive year.
Discharge in several water bodies was below the zero level mark while some springs in south Kashmir had dried up completely due to the receding water table.
In 2024, the rainfall levels plunged to 870.9 mm against the normal annual average of 1,232.3 mm. The previous year recorded 1,146.6 mm rainfall level which was seven per cent below the normal precipitation.
The deficit had led to a concern in the government with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah calling for a more proactive approach and collective efforts towards water management and conservation.
Earlier this month, Abdullah warned people that Jammu and Kashmir has been staring at a water crisis.
“It’s not a recent phenomenon. Actually, it’s been building up for a few years now. While the government will have to adopt a more proactive approach towards water management and conservation, it can’t just be a government-centric approach. All of us will have to change the way we take water for granted,” Abdullah had said on X.
Meanwhile, overnight rain and snowfall affected rail, air and road connectivity on Friday as most parts of Kashmir were draped in a layer of white, officials said.
Landslides, mudslides and shooting stones were reported along the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, they said.
While the plains were lashed with rains, the higher reaches of the valley, including the tourist resorts of Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Pahalgam, received moderate to heavy snowfall. Srinagar, meanwhile, saw light snowfall.
The weather was likely to improve from Friday afternoon, according to the weather office.
The inclement weather affected traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, and disrupted rail connectivity, as well as flight operations at the Srinagar airport here.
The Srinagar-Jammu national highway was blocked due to snow accumulation between Ramsoo and Qazigund, while shooting stones, landslides, and mudslides occurred at many places along the arterial road, officials said.
Several other roads, including the Srinagar-Leh highway, SSG Road, and Mughal Road — the alternate road link between Kashmir and Jammu — were also closed.
All morning flights were delayed due to the weather, the officials said. Flight operations resumed after 11 am after the weather improved, they said.
Train services on the Budgam-Baramulla section were affected due to accumulation of heavy snow along the tracks.
Meanwhile, a woman and her son were killed, and 12 people rescued from overflowing water-bodies as incessant rains lashed wide parts of Jammu for the third day on Friday, officials said.
The high altitude areas also received moderate to heavy snowfall, prompting closure of various roads, including the strategic 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, they said.
Shano Devi (50) and her son Raghu (25) were killed when a boulder from a hillock hit their two-wheeler near Moungari in Udhampur district early Friday.
At least 11 non-migrant labourers were rescued by a joint team of police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from Ujh river in Rajbagh area of Kathua district early Friday, the officials said.
They said the labourers were putting up in a shed adjoining a construction site and their lives were in danger due to the increase in the water level following incessant rains.
A driver of a dumper was also rescued by police and SDRF personnel in a joint operation in Niki Tawi area in Jammu this morning.
The driver Mohan Lal, a resident of Gole-Gujral, was rescued in a daring effort after his dumper got submerged in river Tawi around 5.40 am, the officials said.
They said no fresh traffic was allowed on Jammu-Srinagar national highway owing to accumulation of snow between Ramsoo and Qazigund, shooting of stones, landslides and mudslides at various places between Nashri and Banihal.
The traffic on the highway was suspended around 7 pm on Thursday, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded, the officials said.
The traffic on Batote-Doda road was also closed due to landslides at Ragi Nallah, while several other roads, including Bhaderwah-Chamba, Mughal road and Sinthan road also remained closed due to heavy snowfall in the higher reaches, the officials said. (With inputs from PTI)
