Thousands offer Eid prayers amid restrictions at Srinagar’s Jama Masjid
The chief cleric of Kashmir and Hurriyat leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, expressed anguish on the restrictions on offering prayers at Jama Masjid and Eidgah.
The current wet spell across Jammu and Kashmir is due to a Western Disturbance which has reduced the rainfall deficiency by 15 percent.
The Srinagar-based meteorological centre said on Thursday that the wet spell has brought the rain deficit from 80% to nearly 65%.
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Ladakh Union territory was also witnessing widespread moderate to heavy snow at Drass, Kargil, Zanskar and at Sham region. Most high passes in Ladakh are covered under snow.
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Snow and rain have resulted in shutting vehicular traffic on the Srinagar–Kargil road, Moughal road, Bhaderwah (J&K) –Chamba (HP) road and Sinthan road.
Precipitation deficit in the Kashmir valley till this morning was 63% and 67% in the Jammu division.
The meteorological centre has predicted light to moderate rain and snow at most places with isolated scattered heavy rain and snow till 28 February afternoon and improvement thereafter.
Possibility of hailstorm and gusty winds at few places has also been predicted.
Moderate to heavy snow was very likely to continue till tonight at Zojila to Zanskar area in Ladakh.
Significant improvement is likely from later tonight in J&K and Ladakh. After this, no major snowfall is expected in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, except on 3 March.
Meanwhile, many upper areas in J&K have witnessed snowfall.
Traffic Police said heavy rainfall was continuing on the Jammu-Srinagar highway where vehicular traffic was moving steadily.
The rainfall has triggered shooting stones at several places on the highway.
Winter holidays have been extended in Kargil schools till 15 March due to heavy snowfall and extreme cold.
An avalanche warning has been sounded by the authorities in the districts of Baramulla, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri and Ramban.
It is worth mentioning that the prolonged dry spell earlier in J&K was threatening a drought-like situation this summer. The fast melting glaciers in Ladakh have also raised concerns.
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