Srinagar-Leh highway blocked following cloudburst in J&K’s Ganderbal

Over two dozen houses damaged, no reports of casualties so far; Met forecast intermittent rainfall accompanied by the possibility of cloudbursts till August 11

Srinagar: The Srinagar-Leh highway was closed on Sunday after mudslides, triggered by a cloudburst in J&K’s Ganderbal district, said officials here, adding that there were no reports of any loss of life.

Officials said that the cloudburst hit the Kaw Cherwan village of Ganderbal district in the early hours and blocked the strategic highway. The highway is also used by the Amarnath Yatris to reach the Baltal base camp in North Kashmir.

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Reports said that around two dozen houses in the area suffered damage after the cloudburst hit the powerhouse canal at Kaw Cherwan. The cloudburst caused a breach in the canal. Locals said that the cloudburst has affected Kaw Cherwan, Padabal and Cherwa villages in the area.

The debris has also damaged large portions of cultivated land in the village bringing the standing paddy crop under tons of debris. Authorities have reached the spot to supervise relief operations while the exercise to remove the debris from the highway and make it motorable is also likely to start soon.

So far, there are no reports of any loss of life in this tragedy. The commuters have been advised to avoid journeys on the highway till the clearance of the debris. The Meteorological (MeT) Department has forecast intermittent rainfall accompanied by the possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in vulnerable areas of the Union Territory till August 11.

Earlier, a weather office statement said, “From 3rd to 5th August brief spells of Rain/thundershower will occur at few places during day time with spells of light to moderate rain/thundershower at many places of J&K towards night/early morning.” “From August 6th to August 8th a spell of rain/thundershower is likely at scattered places of Kashmir Division and many places of Jammu Division. From August 9 to August 11 a spell of rain/thundershower is likely at isolated places in the Kashmir Division and fairly widespread in the Jammu Division,” the MeT Department said.

It also issued an advisory, saying, “Intense showers for a brief period with the possibility of flash floods/cloud bursts/landslides/mudslides and shooting stones over vulnerable places of J&K and heavy rainfall at a few places of J&K during next the next three days.”