The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for seven Jammu districts as incessant rainfall wreaked havoc in the northern state. The death toll in rain-related incidents has increased to nine, and Army, personnel from other rescue forces have intensified relief operations.
As per a nowcast warning issued by IMD, red alert has been issued to Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Reasi, Kathua, Pathankot and Udhampur districts. An orange alert has also been issued for a few other districts.
The weather agency has predicted extremely heavy rainfall over Jammu in 24 hours. A red alert has also been issued for Punjab, Haryana, Odisha and coastal regions in north Andhra Pradesh. "Isolated heavy rainfall likely to continue over Jammu and Kashmir during next seven days," it said.
Heavy downpour has wreaked havoc in Jammu, with over two dozen houses and bridges damaged in the rains. According to authorities, nine people have died in rain-related incidents, and all waterbodies in the region are flowing above the danger mark.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has announced a holiday for all schools on Wednesday. Authorities have suspended the pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district following a landslide in the Himkoti trek route. Over 10 people were injured in the landslide.
Continuous heavy rainfall across parts of Jammu for three days has triggered landslides, and mudslides and has led to the closure of several roads. According to reports, Doda was one of the severely hit districts and rescue operations involving police, armed forces and disaster relief personnel are underway in affected areas.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has suspended pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine as a precautionary measure. Traffic movement has been suspended on the Jammu-Srinagar and Kishtwar-Doda national highways. Traffic movement has also been restricted in over a dozen hilly roads blocked or damaged by landslides or flash floods.
Train services were disrupted due to incessant rains. Northern Railway cancelled 18 train services, including the Katra-New Delhi Vande Bharat.
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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reviewed the relief operations and said the situation was quite serious. "The situation in many parts of Jammu province is quite serious. I’ll be taking the next available flight from Srinagar to Jammu to personally monitor the developing situation," Abdullah said in a post on X.
Abdullah reviewed the flood situation earlier on Tuesday and advised authorities to take all necessary relief measures.
According to officials, water levels in the Taranah River, Ujh River, Maggar Khad, Sahar Khad, and their tributaries in Kathua, Basenter in Samba, Tawi and Chenab in Jammu have crossed the danger mark and it is simultaneously rising.
