Srinagar, Aug 2: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, remained closed on Saturday morning after heavy rainfall triggered dangerous road conditions in the Ladha-Samroli stretch of Udhampur district, disrupting civilian traffic and forcing the suspension of the Shri Amarnath Yatra convoy.According to the Traffic Police’s 4:00 a.m. advisory, the affected stretch has turned highly slushy, muddy and extremely slippery, making vehicular movement unsafe. Restoration work is underway, with teams from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Traffic Police and heavy machinery working round the clock to clear the road and restore connectivity.Authorities have advised commuters to avoid travelling on NH-44 until the highway is fully restored and declared safe. With the highway remaining closed, no civilian traffic or Amarnath Yatra convoy was allowed to ply on the route on Saturday morning.Rain Slows Restoration WorkLight to moderate rainfall continued across Ramban and Udhampur districts, including the Chenani-Nashri tunnel area, hampering restoration efforts and delaying the reopening of the highway.Schools Closed in Ramban and DodaAs a precautionary measure, the District Administration Ramban ordered the closure of all government and private schools for the day. The Chief Education Officer (CEO), Ramban, directed educational institutions to conduct online classes to ensure academic activities continue without disruption.Similarly, the Chief Education Officer, Doda, announced the closure of all government and private schools on August 2 due to adverse weather conditions, with schools instructed to shift classes to the online mode.Cloudburst Triggers Flash Floods in KishtwarIn a separate weather-related incident, a cloudburst struck Chatroo in Kishtwar district at around 2:30 a.m., triggering flash floods that reportedly washed away several vehicles and damaged property.Officials said no casualties or injuries had been reported so far, while teams are assessing the extent of the damage.Following the cloudburst, the Chatroo–Kishtwar National Highway was also closed to vehicular traffic.Authorities Issue Travel AdvisoryWith heavy rainfall continuing in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir, authorities have urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, especially in landslide-prone and flood-vulnerable areas, until weather conditions improve and restoration work is completed.
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