The Meteorological Department has forecast one or two day wet spell from Wednesday night, while predicting widespread rains especially in Jammu division could lead to flash floods.
“The rainfall is likely to generate flash flood and landslide at vulnerable spots of J&K as the land especially in Jammu region is already saturated with low additional water holding capacity,” Director MeT Sonam Lotus has said.
“People in Jammu region should remain vigilant and avoid going into rivers, sloppy nallahs for next two days for their own safety,” he said.
As per the MeT weather forecast, “a light to moderate rain at scattered to fairly widespread places in Kashmir and light rain isolated places of Ladakh mainly in Kargil district is most likely during next 24 to 36 hours,”.
Lotus said: “The widespread light to moderate rain with heavy to very heavy showers was expected at scattered places of Jammu region.”
It may be recalled that both Jammu and Kashmir have witnessed deficit rainfall of 54 per cent below normal between June 1 and August 17.
Shopian district in south Kashmir has recorded the highest rainfall deficit of 94 per cent below normal while Kargil district has recorded a rainfall deficit of 89 per cent below normal between June 1 and August 17, said MeT data.
During this period, J&K has received 166.8 millimetres rainfall as compared to the normal of 362.2 mm rainfall, the MeT data said.
The deficit rainfall has created a lot of concern among the farming community in Kashmir who fear crop loss.