Srinagar: Amid prevailing hot weather conditions, the Meteorological department (MeT) Saturday issued a warning about ‘moderate to high risk of flash floods’ in J&K in view of ‘heavy to very heavy’ rain in most parts of Jammu and ‘moderate to heavy’ rain in many places in Kashmir from July 19 to 21.
The maximum intensity of widespread rainfall during the forthcoming wet spell is likely to occur on July 19 and 20, the MeT forecast said.
The MeT in a communiqué issued to Divisional Commissioners Kashmir and Jammu said: “Moderate to heavy rains in the region are expected due to lower and middle level tropospheric winds from north Arabian Sea likely to interact with Easterly Winds from the Bay of Bengal from July 18 to 21”.
The winds are likely to cause ‘heavy to very high’ rain in most places in Jammu, mainly Pir Panjal and plains of Jammu, and ‘moderate to heavy’ rain in many places in Kashmir from July 19 to 21 along with lightning and thunderstorms, the MeT forecast said.
“There could be moderate to high risk of flash flood in J&K as the probable impacts of the disturbance,” the MeT said in its advisory.
Besides, the disturbance may also disrupt surface traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National highway, Srinagar-Leh National highway, Doda-Kishtwar and Mughal Road besides causing water logging in low lying areas, disruption in agriculture activities, landslides and shooting stones at vulnerable spots, the MeT said.
However, the MeT officials said that the forthcoming wet spell will help J&K overcome the rainfall deficit witnessed in July so far.
Meanwhile, the heat wave continued to prevail in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday as summer capital Srinagar sizzled at 34.1 degrees Celsius while ski-resort Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded 24 degrees Celsius. Winter capital Jammu recorded 35.7 degrees Celsius.