Srinagar: Twenty-nine people stranded in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district after flash floods and heavy rains were rescued Monday, officials said. Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the all-weather road linking Kashmir to the rest of the country, was also restored Monday a day after it was closed due to landslides at different places, they said.

“A total of 29 persons, including six women and 10 children, were rescued from various flood-hit areas of Kathua district during overnight operations,” a police officer said. 

In Doda district, authorities have ordered the closure of all educational institutions as a precautionary measure and also set up control rooms in view of heavy rains in the Jammu region since the last two days, the officials said.

With improvement in weather, authorities Monday morning opened the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway for traffic.

“The road was cleared late Sunday night and light motor vehicles were allowed to move on the highway from Srinagar and Jammu Monday morning,” a traffic department spokesman said.

“People residing near banks of the Neeru and it’s tributaries have been advised to be careful and avoid crossing temporary bridges or crossings over the streams,” the officials said.

On Saturday, the metrological department had predicted moderate to heavy rain or thundershowers for the next 48 hours at most places in the Jammu region.