Rains today lashed many parts of north India, including Kashmir Valley where several houses were damaged and Srinagar-Jammu national highway shut due to landslides, even as the MeT department predicted heavy showers in large areas of the region in the next few days.
In the national capital, overcast conditions prevailed throughout the day while some parts of the city recorded light rainfall which, according to the weather department, was "not measurable". The department predicted rainfall for tomorrow.
"Mainly or generally cloudy sky will prevail tomorrow with possibility of rain or thunderstorm," a MeT official said, adding that there will be mist in the morning.
Temperatures in Delhi remained within comfortable levels with the minimum settling at 20.3 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 30.1 degrees Celsius.
Heavy rains pounded several areas of Kashmir damaging many houses and leading to closure of Srinagar-Jammu national highway because of landslides with the water level in Jhelum river rising fast.
Heavy rains since yesterday have resulted in damage to at least 44 structures, including 18 houses, due to landslides in Chrar-e-Sharief area of Kashmir, officials in Srinagar said.
Although the water level in Jhelum was still four feet below the danger mark of 18 feet at Ram Munshi Bagh in the city, the rise of two feet in the past five hours has resulted in panic among the residents, the officials said.
Many shopkeepers in Srinagar's commercial hub of Lal Chowk and its surrounding areas were seen taking out their merchandise to safer places in view of rising water level. Some shops in low lying areas of the city have been submerged due to water-logging of roads.
The Valley has been witnessing heavy rainfall since yesterday, leading to sudden surge in water level of rivers, streams and rivulets, causing panic among the residents about possibility of fresh floods.
India Meteorological Department Director General L S Rathore said here that it is the "wettest March since 1951" in north and central India and there is possibility of rain in the next two weeks.
