Rain, hailstorm ease severe heat wave in Jammu & more related news here

Blackout in Kishtwar due to damage to 132 KV line

*Sharp drop in temperatures throughout the region

Gopal Sharma

JAMMU, June 11: Moderate to heavy rain and hailstorm provided major relief from the severe hot weather conditions for the people of Jammu region, while complete blackout was observed across Kishtwar district and many parts of Doda district after the 132 KV Udhampur-Doda-Kishtwar power line was damaged, with a large tree falling between Doda and Thathri on Thursday.

Official sources said that amid rain and hail, thunderstorms and gusty winds were experienced in almost all the plain areas of Jammu besides Kathua and Samba districts. The windstorm caused some damage to electrical infrastructure and tin houses and Kullas of the people in some parts of Samba, Ghagwal and Hiranagar.

Meanwhile, the helicopter service to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine from Katra base camp was disrupted due to rain and bad weather after 3.30 pm today and could not be resumed later as the weather remained elusive.

It rained heavily in areas like Bhaderwah, Bhalessa, Dudu-Basantgarh, Bani subdivision besides Gool Gulabgarh, Mahore and other higher elevations of Ramban and Udhampur districts. However, road connectivity was not affected. Even traffic movement on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained smooth despite light to moderate rain, officials said.

Reports from Doda said that power supply to many parts of Doda district and entire Kishtwar district was cut during the afternoon when a large tree fell on the 132 KV Udhampur-Batote-Kishtwar power line near Gatsu village between Puldoda and Thathri.

There has been a complete blackout in Kishtwar district, apart from some parts of Doda district, with power cut

power supply. Officials said power is expected to be restored tomorrow.

In yet another incident in Doda, lightning struck a pine tree during midday in Doda’s Sajjar village during a thunderstorm. It caused a fire in the pine forest but it occurred after the rains in the area.

In the winter capital of Jammu, people breathed a big sigh of relief on Thursday afternoon after moderate to heavy rain and a hailstorm lashed the city. The rains that lasted for about an hour caused a big change in the weather and the temperature of the city dropped significantly. Waterlogging was also observed in many parts of Jammu as tree branches fell on roads and lanes at several places due to the windstorm.

A Met official said the winter capital Jammu experienced a maximum temperature of 41.8 degrees C and a minimum of 30.1 degrees on Thursday. At night there was a temperature drop of about 7 degrees.

Katra city recorded daytime temperature of 38.3 degrees C, Bhaderwah 27.2 degrees C, Batote 31.3 degrees, Banihal 29.2 degrees, while Srinagar’s maximum temperature was 31.5 degrees C, Gulmarg 21.6 degrees and Pahalgam 25.9 degrees C temperature today.

Samba town, however, recorded the season’s highest daytime temperature of 46.3 degrees C on Thursday, while Kathua 43.4 degrees C, Udhampur 41.6 degrees, Rajouri 39.0 degrees, Poonch 37.1 and Reasi 41.2 degrees C on Thursday.

The meteorologist on Friday forecast one or two spells of light to moderate rain, showers and wind storms in many parts of the region. From June 13 to 17, the weather will remain generally cloudy with light rain, brief heavy downpours, thunder, lightning and gusts of wind in scattered places throughout the region, it added.