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The death toll in the landslide that struck the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route in J&K’s Reasi district rose to 32 on Wednesday, as rescuers continue to look for survivors.
People stand near a partially damaged bridge as the Jhelum river flows in spate due to heavy rainfall. (PTI)
J&K Rains: At least 36 people were killed in rain-related incidents as two days of relentless downpour wreaked havoc in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the casualties occurred due to a landslide on a Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route.
Record rain in Jammu and Kashmir has triggered landslides and flash floods, causing massive damage to infrastructure as bridges and mobile towers collapsed, and electricity poles snapped. Dozens of key roads were blocked or damaged by landslides.
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In a glimmer of good news, there was some let-up in the rain on Wednesday, which allowed relief efforts to pick up. The water level in swollen rivers across Jammu showed signs of receding after 11 am, although the Jhelum river in Anantnag and Srinagar breached the flood alert mark, and water entered several residential areas.
Here’s The Latest On Jammu
- The death toll in the landslide that struck the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route in J&K’s Reasi district rose to 32 on Wednesday, with rescuers pulling out more bodies from under the debris. At least 20 injuries have been reported in the incident.
- Rescue teams are continuing to dig through mounds of rubble to look for survivors, as the pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi shrine remained suspended for a second day. The landslide struck near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Ardhkuwari, about halfway along the 12-km trek from Katra to the shrine.
- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah rushed to Jammu from Srinagar to personally review the situation in the region after the rain stopped in some areas. He also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation arising from heavy rains and flooding in the Jammu region.
- Northern Railways cancelled 58 trains to and from Jammu and Katra stations, while 64 others were either short-terminated or short-originated at different stations within the division. Six trains had begun departing from Jammu after a day-long suspension, but traffic was halted again due to flash floods and heavy soil erosion in the Chakki river area, according to officials.
- Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Sakina Itoo announced that all educational institutes will remain closed across Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday in view of the heavy downpour and flood-like situation.
In other rain-related incidents across the Jammu province, at least four people were reported killed in Doda district on Tuesday. Three of them slipped and fell into the river, drowning in the swift flowing waters, while one died in a house collapse.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the landslide on the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route. “The loss of lives due to a landslide on the route to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is saddening. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. The administration is assisting all those affected,” he said.
The Jammu region has been witnessing its heaviest rainfall in decades since Monday night, leading to floods, landslides, damaged bridges and roads, and inundated residential and agricultural areas, forcing many people to move to safer places. Jammu city recorded more than 380 mm of rainfall in less than 38 hours.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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Jammu, India, India
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