At least 110 people, mostly pilgrims, have died and dozens have been injured in Jammu in the last two weeks due to nature’s fury. More than 30 are still missing.
The deaths occurred due to cloudbursts after heavy rains. The deceased pilgrims were from different states of India.
On August 14, a huge cloudburst at Chashoti, Kishtwar in Jammu, triggered flash floods that swept away houses, vehicles, and culverts, and a langar for Machail Mata yatris. More than 60 yatris were killed in the incident, while 35 others went missing.
The authorities launched a large-scale relief and rescue operation involving the NDRF, the Army, the police, and local authorities. Local NGOs, like Ababeel, also joined the rescue operation, ferrying the injured to the hospital with great difficulty.
The bodies of the deceased were sent to their homes after verification. The operation for the missing is still going on. Body parts of some of the missing have been sent for DNA analysis for identification.
Two weeks after the tragedy at Chashoti, 35 pilgrims died en route to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in a cloudburst at Ardhkuwari, Katra, in Reasi. Among the dead were seven minors, while 20 others were injured. The incident happened amid incessant rains that battered Jammu and Kashmir. Cloudbursts also resulted in the death of a man and his nephew in Anantnag, an elderly man in Marh in Jammu, and a youth died in Nagrota. Two bodies were also recovered from RS Pura and Bari Brahmana in Jammu. Four people also died in Doda, while the body of a BSF jawan was recovered in Pragwal. Another unidentified body was found in Akhnoor. An Irrigation Department employee was swept away in Lakhanpur near the Punjab border.
The death of Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims evoked sharp criticism of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (MVDSB) from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for not suspending the yatra in view of adverse weather. The Congress, too, questioned why the yatra was not halted due to the prevailing weather.
The MVDSB said the weather conditions had remained clear and conducive for pilgrimage on August 26 until around 10.00 a.m., during which time the yatra proceeded normally, so much so that even the helicopter services were operating seamlessly. It said registrations were suspended once rain forecasts were received and “the majority of the yatris were moving down the track after completing darshan.”
On the tragedy, it said, “The location was near Inderprastha Bhojanalaya on the old track… nature’s fury struck in the form of a sudden severe cloudburst… which triggered the massive landslide at 2:40 PM. It was unpredictable and unforeseen.” The Board said its task force, security forces, and volunteers “immediately responded… launching swift evacuation and relief operations.”
Flash floods triggered by heavy rains caused floods as major rivers like the Jhelum in Kashmir, and Chenab, and the Tawi in Jammu swelled beyond danger marks. Jammu bore the brunt of the floods with damage to four bridges, including Bhagwati Nagar. Rains also caused floods in streams and rivulets. In Jammu, thousands were evacuated after floodwaters gushed into low-lying areas. The floods also caused disruption to mobile telephony, the internet, power, and the drinking water supply.
Such has been the scale of damage that 50 villages are still cut off.
Landslides blocked the 300 km Srinagar-Jammu national highway. In the last three to four years, travel time on the highway has been safer and faster due to progress on the four-laning of this vital artery that connects Kashmir with the rest of India. However, landslides and shooting stones at some vulnerable stretches still cause blockades, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded.
The unpleasant weather also caused the cancellation of 58 trains to Jammu by the railways. Later, special trains were arranged for the stranded passengers in Jammu.