SRINAGAR: Life came to halt in parts of the Kashmir valley, including summer capital, Srinagar, due to heavy rains, lightning and hail storm for about an hour this afternoon.
A Met department spokesman said light rain or thundershower would occur at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir division during the next 24 hours.
There would be no large change during subsequent two days, he said.
It was raining at world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, health resort of Pahalgam and Sonamarg since early this morning. After witnessing above normal maximum and minimum temperature for the past fortnight, the sky was cloudy in the Kashmir valley, including Srinagar, since this morning.
However, heavy rains lash most parts of the valley this afternoon, resulting in drop in the temperature. Life came to a halt as people took shelter in shops and other buildings to save themselves from the rain and hailstorm. Details of lightning were being collected, official sources said.
Main roads and bylanes were flooded with rain water, disrupting traffic and pedestrian movement. However, most roads wore a deserted look for about an hour. The Power Development Department (PDD) also switched off the electricity in almost entire valley.
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), media offices and other government departments in Srinagar had to switch over to generators because of power shut down.
