Srinagar:  The traffic on the 270-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar national highway and the Mughal Road was closed on Saturday as heavy rains lashed several parts of Jammu with higher reaches experiencing first moderate snowfall, officials said.

Jammu Kashmir Traffic Police in an official statement said: -"Jammu Srinagar National Highway closed as heavy rains trigger shooting stones and landslide at Ramban and Udhampur," Jammu and Kashmir  Jammu today witnessed heavy rains and hailstorms following which the temperatures dipped in the city.  Officials said the traffic on the Mughal Road, an alternate link connecting the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in the Jammu region with south Kashmir's Shopian district, was also suspended due to moderate snowfall at Peer Ki Gali and adjoining areas overnight.

Meanwhile, it is reported that Srinagar recorded 5.6 degrees Celsius as its minimum temperature, while Pahalgam and Gulmarg recorded 0.3 degrees Celsius and minus 1.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.  India Metrological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall, snowfall with thunderstorms, gusty winds and lightning at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab on October 23.  Also, Banihal in Ramban district recorded the highest 47.8 mm of rainfall during the past 12 hours till 8:30 am Saturday, followed by 33.8 mm in Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district.

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