Overnight rains stopped and overcast sky gave way to a bright sun in Kashmir Valley which was reeling under wet weather for the last seven days leading to flooding in some low lying areas and triggering landslides that left 16 people dead and hundreds homeless.
The meteorological department has forecast that the weather will remain mostly dry over the state during the next four days. However, light to moderate rain or thundershowers would occur at some places during the next 24 hours.
Heavy rains, which started lashing Srinagar and other parts of the Valley last night, stopped around forenoon today and there was no major change in the water level in the Jhelum river which started receding yesterday after crossing the danger mark the previous day.
At 2 PM, the Jhelum river was flowing at 15.50 feet at Sangam in south Kashmir -- nearly eight feet below the danger mark, while the water-level at Ram Munshi Bagh in the city was 15.80 feet, an official of the Flood Control Department said.
However, some schools in Srinagar and other areas of the Valley remained closed due to water-logging.
Authorities had announced closure of all the schools on Monday after the Valley was lashed by heavy rains which led to alarming rise in the water level in the Jhelum river and other water bodies including the Dal Lake.
People were seen wishing each other and thanking almighty for the improvement in weather.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Gazanfar Hussain yesterday said that 369 villages in the Valley were affected by the rise in the levels of the Jhelum river and other water bodies. "There were 16 deaths in Budgam. No loss of life was reported from anywhere else in the Valley. 129 bridges, mostly small, were damaged, 164 water supply schemes suffered damage and 607 schemes and works of Irrigation department were also damaged by the waters," he said.
Hussain said the administration got sufficient time to prepare for the floods this time compared to the last year. "We got sufficient time this time around and were in a better position to deal with the rise in water levels. Though there was panic, we took steps to address that panic and overcame it," he said.
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