Srinagar, July 22 : Heavy rainfall brought a sharp drop in day temperatures across Jammu and Kashmir, while the Lidder river in south Kashmir briefly crossed the flood declaration mark before water levels started receding later in the evening, officials said.
According to weather data, Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, nearly 10 degrees below normal, while Kupwara settled at 20.2 degrees Celsius, 10.4 degrees below normal. Qazigund recorded 19.5 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 17.6 degrees Celsius and Gulmarg 14.5 degrees Celsius.
In the Jammu division, Jammu city recorded a maximum of 24.8 degrees Celsius, 8.7 degrees below normal, while Katra registered 22.6 degrees Celsius, around 8 degrees below normal.
Weather observers said Katra recorded its lowest maximum temperature for the month of July, with persistent rain and dense cloud cover keeping temperatures unusually low throughout the day.
Meanwhile, the water level in the Lidder river, a major tributary of the Jhelum, rose to 1.55 metres by 7 pm, crossing the flood declaration mark of 1.50 metres but remaining below the danger level of 1.65 metres.
The rise was attributed to intense rainfall in Pahalgam and its upper catchment areas during the second half of the day, officials said, adding that there was apprehension of a further increase as runoff from the upper reaches had yet to reach downstream stretches.
However, rainfall eased across most parts of Jammu and Kashmir by the evening, providing temporary relief and helping stabilise river levels.
By around 8 pm, water levels in the Sheshnag and Aru nallahs, major tributaries feeding the Lidder, had started declining, resulting in a slight fall in the river’s level, officials said.
They said light to moderate rainfall, however, continued in the upper reaches of Pahalgam, while another spell of rain could occur in some parts of the Union Territory later in the night.(KNS)
