NEW DELHI: Three people have been killed and widespread damage reported after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides across Jammu and Kashmir. Incessant rain over the past three days has left rivers swollen, roads washed away, and residents scrambling to relocate to safer areas. Authorities have sounded flood alerts and urged the public to stay away from water bodies as rescue teams work round the clock.Officials confirmed that a cloudburst in Charu Nallah, Bhalessa in Doda district caused flash floods which submerged residential areas. Deputy commissioner Harvinder Singh said, “It has been raining continuously for three days. Reports of cloudbursts have come from two places. NH 244 has also been washed away in a cloudburst. Three lives have been lost so far. Two of them are in Gandhor and one in the Thathri subdivision. Fifteen residential houses have been damaged, and cow sheds have also been damaged. A private health centre has been damaged. Three footbridges have been washed away.”
Rising water levels force alerts and evacuations
The water level of the Chenab river reached 899.3 metres on Tuesday, close to its highest flood level of 900 feet, sparking fears of a breach. Singh added, “The way it is raining, we are expecting that the HFL will be breached. We have limited the movement of people near the Chenab River and on the roads adjacent to it. People have been shifted to safe locations.” In Kathua, the Ravi river overflowed after all gates of the Ranjit Sagar Dam were opened to ease pressure. District Commissioner Rajesh Sharma explained, “We received the message from the Punjab Government to open the gates day before yesterday. Since the water has risen, we have alerted everyone. We are prepared for any alarming situation. The family trapped in the Ravi was repeatedly told by our revenue staff to relocate over the past two days. We had to send an enforcement team later to rescue them. I would advise everyone to stay away from water bodies and unsafe houses.”Jammu DIG Shiv Kumar Sharma also sounded an alert, saying, “The Administration has appealed to the public to avoid going near rivers and nallahs. The traffic is operating on the highway. We are taking all measures to ensure the safety of the people.”
Landslides cut off key roads, rescue efforts underway
Landslides and flash floods have caused major disruptions to road connectivity. Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was suspended after stone shooting was reported at Chanderkote, Kela Morh and Battery Cheshma in Ramban district. Officials said it was raining heavily all along the 250-km route, forcing suspension of movement at Udhampur and Qazigund.The Padder road in Kishtwar, the Ramnagar-Udhampur road in Udhampur, and the Jangalwar-Thathri road in Doda have also been closed after being washed away or blocked by landslides. Reports indicate damage to over a dozen houses, cowsheds, and key infrastructure in the higher reaches of Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri districts.Meanwhile, rivers across the region – including the Tawi, Ujh, Basanter and Sahar Khad – are flowing above or near danger levels. In Udhampur, the Tawi has already crossed the 20-foot danger mark, while the Basanter River in Samba surged past 4.5 feet earlier in the day.Union minister Kiren Rijiju, who was travelling in Ladakh, reported an incident where a vehicle fell into a river near Drass. “Before reaching Drass in Ladakh, one vehicle fell into the river just ahead of our convoy. Luckily, we were on time and both persons survived,” he wrote on X. The meteorological department has forecast further moderate to heavy rainfall across Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts till 27 August, warning of more flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides. Kathua recorded the highest rainfall in the past 24 hours at 155.6 mm, followed by Bhaderwah at 99.8 mm, Jammu at 81.5 mm and Katra at 68.8 mm. Go to Source
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