Heat wave, rainfall deficit grip Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 10 (IANS) It has been an unusually hot summer in Kashmir this year with temperatures crossing 35-degree Celsius on some days.While people in Kashmir are trying to cope with the dry spell, a rainfall deficit coupled with rising temperature is bad news for the farmers.There seems no respite for now as the forecast shows similar weather conditions prevailing over the next few days.Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 31-degree Celsius on Monday while the forecast is for over 32-degree Celsius over the next one week."I have never seen Srinagar so hot. This has really caused a lot of discomfort to the people particularly farmers whose paddy crops have been affected," said a resident. The MET department said that lack of rainfall has created hot and humid conditions in Kashmir."There has been a major deficit in rainfall in the last two months," Sonam Lotus, Director, J&K MET department, told IANS. "Due to less rainfall, agriculture has suffered, the water resources are not getting replenished. The temperature in Srinagar is more compared to last ten years," he added.The official said that not much rainfall is expected over the next few days in Kashmir.
--IANS
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