Wednesday 13th May, 2026
Srinagar, Jul 25: After witnessing hot and humid weather during the last over a week, incessant rain lashed Kashmir valley, including summer capital, Srinagar, bringing much needed relief though normal life was affected due to water-logging.
A Met department spokesperson told UNI that moderate to heavy rain would occur during the next 72 hours at fairly widespread places in Kashmir valley under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region.
After witnessing the hottest day of the season so far at 30.6 degree on Wednesday, weather turned pleasant as incessant rain lashed Srinagar city since early this morning. Despite district administration claiming that around 80 Dewatering Stations and 115 mobile units have been put into service in the city, majority of the roads remained water-logged affecting vehicular and pedestrian movement. Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, Srinagar, was the worst hit due to a ‘defunct’ drainage system.
Meanwhile, students in the summer capital Srinagar — wearing colourful uniforms — were enthusiastic about attending their classes and meeting their friends and teachers at school after summer vacation. However, students had to face problem due to incessant rain.
“Dewatering pumps have been activated at all locations and sucker machines deployed. More areas to be covered shortly,” Srinagar administration wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.
The administration said that around 80 Dewatering Stations and 115 mobile units of Drainage Division SMC have been engaged in dewatering of the city. “Boulevard & Khanyar under UEED all 10 stations area cleared. SMC on job for rest,” another tweet by the Srinagar administration said.
Incessant rain also lashed world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, much to the delight of tourists. “The tourists, including foreigners, are enjoying a rainy and pleasant day in the ski resort,” a hotelier from Gulmarg told UNI over the phone.
Weather also turned pleasant in world famous health resort of Pahalgam, which received incessant intermittent rain since early this morning. Meanwhile, despite rain, fresh batches of pilgrims on Thursday left base camps for the holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, where so far over 3 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance since the commencement of the annual pilgrimage from both shortest Baltal and traditional Pahalgam tracks from July 1.
Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and another tourist resort of Kokernag also received rain, resulting in dip in the day temperature.