Rains, cloudbursts wreak havoc in Jammu and Kashmir; 40 dead; Army, NDRF lead rescue ops

Incessant rains and cloudbursts have left  40 people dead in Jammu and Kashmir. The extent of damage is being ascertained.

Among the dead were 35 Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine pilgrims, including seven minors, who lost their lives after a cloudburst at Katra in Reasi. Twenty others have been injured in the incident.

According to the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, the cloudburst occurred at Adkhari, after which the yatra was suspended. 

The injured are being treated in several hospitals, including Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Katra.

A landslide in the Peer Kho area of Jammu blocked the road and damaged several vehicles. Restoration work was initiated to clear the blockade.

In south Kashmir’s Anantnag, a man and his nephew—Irshad Ahmed Bhat of Lower Munda and Junaid Shafi Bhat of Moominabad—died after a high-tension power line fell on their truck. They were rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

At least 75 sheep, owned by a shepherd at Shankerpora in Anantnag, also perished in nature’s fury. 

Government officials responded to the tragedy by offering relief to the families of the two youths and the shepherd.

A cloudburst in the upper reaches of Chatapal in Shangus, raised the water level in the Aaripat tributary—which connects with the Jhelum at Khanabal—leading to waterlogging in several low-lying neighbourhoods of Anantnag town, including Mehandikadal, Lal Chowk, Court Road, Danter, Bangidar, Ganjiwara, Achabal Adda, Janglat Mandi, and Deva Colony.

In Srinagar, floodwater from the Jhelum gushed into the Kursu Rajbagh and Ghanikhan areas. However, no major damage was reported from the two residential areas. 

In Jammu, the weather improved, reducing the threat of floods. Jammu has borne the maximum brunt of the incessant rainfall.

The surge in rivers, especially the Chenab and Tawi, has damaged four bridges in Jammu, including the Baghwati Nagar bridge.

Rescue and relief ops in full swing 

The authorities have launched a large-scale rescue and relief operation in the region. 

Contingents from NDRF, Army, SDRF, along with local authorities, are working around the clock to ensure relief to the affected people. The Indian Air Force has airlifted 124 NDRF personnel and a 22-ton load of equipment from Hindan to Jammu in C-130 & IL-76 aircraft. Six Mi-17 helicopters and one Chinook were also deployed for relief operations. Food and drinking water were air-dropped to areas cut off by flood or landslides. More than 600 people were evacuated, including  12 BSF and 22 CRPF personnel. 

The disruption of mobile and internet services throughout the day in both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir added to the woes of the people.

The weatherman has predicted partly cloudy but dry weather for the next three days. People have been warned to stay away from areas prone to landslides, shooting stones, and rivers.

The government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the Union Territory on Thursday.