The 250-km-long Jammu-Srinagar national highway (NH 44) remained closed for the third consecutive day on Friday following multiple landslides, shooting stones and road erosion triggered by incessant rains, especially in Ramban and Udhampur districts.Trucks wait for traffic to resume on the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway due to inclement weather in Anantnag on Friday. (ANI)Incessant rains since Sunday have claimed 25 lives so far across Jammu region, where Poonch district bore the maximum brunt with 16 deaths. Around six people still remain missing.“Heavy rains have triggered multiple landslides and mudslies at Dewal bridge in Samroli, Jakhani in Udhampur district and Banihal in Ramban district,” said a police officer.Though NHAI has initiated restoration work but inclement weather hampered it at several affected stretches, he added. According to a rough estimate, around 2,000 vehicles, largely trucks carrying essential commodities to Kashmir valley remain stranded at Ramban, Udhampur, Nagrota, Jammu, Samba and Lakhanpur.Landslides and mudslides have blocked nearly a dozen inter-district roads, including Jammu-Doda-Kishtwar (NH-244). However, the Mughal Road and the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) road remained open despite heavy rainfall.To facilitate the movement of stranded passengers, Northern Railway operated a special train from Budgam and Banihal to Katra. More than 600 stranded tourists were also shifted from Srinagar to Jammu, officials said.A slight weather improvement on Friday brought much-needed relief to the people, especially in low lying areas and those living close to water bodies.Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations involving the civil administration, police, SDRF, NDRF and other agencies continued across the affected districts.Amarnath, Mata Vaishno Devi, Shiv Khori and Machail pilgrimages remain suspended since Sunday and the pilgrims have been advised to stay at designated base camps and lodging centres.“In view of the inclement weather forecast issued by the IMD, the Amarnath Yatra shall remain suspended till further orders. Accordingly, no vehicle carrying yatra pilgrims shall be allowed to proceed from Jammu, Udhampur or Ramban towards Srinagar,” read an official advisory issued here.More than 15,000 pilgrims are stranded at base camps and lodging centres in Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Ramban and Banihal, while security personnel have been deployed along the highway to prevent movement towards Kashmir.Heavy rain lashes parts of JammuHeavy rainfall lashed several parts of Jammu during the past 24 hours, with Udhampur recording the highest precipitation of 96.5 mm till 8.30am on Friday, followed by Batote (84.2 mm), Ramban (69.5 mm) and Bhaderwah (65.7 mm), according to rainfall data.In the Jammu region, Katra received 45.1 mm of rainfall, Kathua 44.8 mm, Banihal 38.3 mm, Doda 35 mm, Reasi 27.5 mm, Kishtwar 27 mm, Jammu Airport 26 mm, Jammu city 25.2 mm, and Poonch 7.5 mm, while Rajouri recorded no rainfall.The MeT department has forecast a spell of rain, thundershower at many places with brief heavy showers at few places of Jammu during July 25 to 27. From July 28 to 31, another fresh wet spell is most likely to occur, said the official.Flood threat in Kashmir eases as Jhelum water levels recedeSrinagar The flood threat in Kashmir, especially in Srinagar, has eased with an improvement in the weather. On Thursday evening, the water level of the River Jhelum touched the flood alert level at Pampore and Ram Munshi Bagh, prompting the irrigation and flood control department to call in all its staff for flood duty.However, the department’s chief engineer stated there was no threat of floods, though control rooms remained active across Kashmir. The water level has been receding since Friday morning.