The news from the weatherman is not good. In all probability, Kashmir is preparing to brave for an extended spell of wet showers starting from 27th of April. The weatherman predicts showers would be moderate in the majority of the areas and high in a few. With snow beginning to melt and water level considerably high in our rivers this has set alarm bells ringing in various quarters of the social media and many are praying the showers to be of less intensity.
Just a decade or two back a spell or two of showers at this time of the year was welcomed with open arms. There was no cause to worry as the water-carrying capacity of river Jhelum was quite high. It was only if it rained continuously for about eight to ten days that the water level started hovering around the danger mark. But from the last decade, a two-day shower is enough to see the attached water level at various gauge stations darting about the danger mark. This is increasingly worrisome and has left the Srinagar basin at the mercy of showers in the upper southern mountain valleys. Also, the fact that the mountains were much more greener, there were plenty of trees which ensured that a lot of water did not reach the main river. Now with deforestation having reached scary levels a two-day spell of showers has the potential to bring about disaster.
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Most of these predictions end up in a few spells of drizzles or passing showers at various times of the day. However, the fact that the water level in Jhelum is already high the administration would be well advised not to lower guard. The fact that this is a peak tourism season also is an important factor. The security of locals, as well as that of tourists, has to factor in all of the preparedness and estimation.
These showers would make it a little bit more difficult to haul out the dead bodies of people killed in the Gandbal boat tragedy. If only the water level recedes would it be easily to find the dead bodies of those who drowned in that incident. We hope that the dense clouds thin out and apart from a few spells of light rain there would no serious rain to threaten a flood. All hands in prayers!
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