Weather Office Predicts 10 More Days of Rain, Issues Heavy to Very Heavy Rainfall Warning for Jammu Division

Raja Javid
Srinagar, Aug 7 (BuzzBytes): The Meteorological Department has forecast another spell of rain across Jammu and Kashmir over the next ten days, warning that several districts of the Jammu division could witness heavy to very heavy rainfall between August 9 and 11, accompanied by the risk of flash floods, landslides and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
According to the Weather Department, light to moderate rain with thunder is expected at several places across Jammu and Kashmir on August 7 and 8, with brief spells of heavy rain possible in some areas. Officials said that between August 9 and 11, most areas are likely to receive light to moderate rain and thundershowers, but a few districts of the Jammu division could see heavy to very heavy rainfall, while parts of the Kashmir division may also experience brief spells of intense rain.
The department said the wet spell is likely to continue between August 12 and 17 as well, with light rain and thunder expected at several places and intermittent heavy spells at some locations. In a special advisory issued for the August 9-11 period, the department warned that torrential and short but intense rainfall could suddenly worsen conditions in sensitive districts, raising the risk of flash floods and landslides in vulnerable and weak locations, besides waterlogging in low-lying areas. It cautioned that roads, connecting routes and other infrastructure could be temporarily affected as a result.
The Meteorological Department advised the public to stay away from streams, rivers, landslide-prone areas and other sensitive locations, and to avoid unnecessary travel during bad weather. It also directed the concerned authorities to keep a close watch on the situation, step up monitoring at vulnerable sites and keep all necessary arrangements in place in advance to deal with any emergency. Officials appealed to the public to follow the latest weather forecasts and official advisories, particularly during August 9-11, and to avoid going near streams, nullahs and other water bodies during the rain.
Separately, the Central Government told the Lok Sabha that the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has been the worst-affected road in Jammu and Kashmir over the last three years due to landslides, cloudbursts and torrential rain, with roads closed and protective structures damaged at multiple locations. According to information placed before Parliament by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, five of the major landslide incidents on national highways in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014 occurred mostly on NH-44. The Ministry said the Udhampur-Ramban section was severely affected in both 2025 and 2026, with cloudbursts at Battery Chashma and Tharad triggering landslides, while debris and mud accumulation at Karol and Kwarbagh disrupted traffic. In 2026, a major landslide near Deval, Seemroli, blocked both lanes of the highway and damaged a protective wall, with traffic restored only after restoration work was completed. The Ramban-Banihal section was also repeatedly hit, with a cloudburst at Seri in 2025 bringing heavy debris, choking Tunnel T-2 with mud and triggering a landslide at Kela Morh. The Ministry said the government continues to carry out both immediate restoration and long-term safety measures on hill highways, including slope stabilisation, improved construction standards, early warning systems for landslides and modern rockfall protection arrangements—(BuzzBytes)