Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 7: Rain and floods wreck havoc across Jammu region as many rivers including Tawi, Basantar and Chenab were flowing at danger mark, forcing many villagers to rush to safer places while seven persons were killed in house collapse incidents in Jammu, Samba and Doda areas and in a road accident amidst heavy rain, at sliding zone near Ramban today.
Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed due to landslides at Kheri near Udhampur and near Chenani besides some parts of Ramban while traffic to Doda-Kishtwar, Reasi-Mahore, Ramnagar-Basantgarh-Dudu, Basohli- Bani and many other areas remained suspended due to blockades. National Highway was restored between Udhampur and Chenani twice during the day for brief interval but it was blocked till late this evening.
River Tawi was flowing two feet above danger mark this morning forcing district administration to suspend traffic on Satwari-Phallain Mandal bridge and one of the bridges near Bikram Chowk for some time. Traffic on old Chenab bridge was also diverted to new bridge after the river water crossed alert mark of 32 ft at around 11.30 am. Water level in Chenab was 34 ft just one foot below danger mark at 12 noon.
Red alert was sounded in at least a dozen low lying villages of Akhnoor, Pargwal, Jourian and Khour blocks. A temple at the bank of river Chenab at Jia Pota Ghat in Akhnoor was submerged in flooded river. Public benches near the park besides foot path along the river bank were also marooned in water.
Due to heavy flood in Tawi this morning, about 200 ft concrete embankment / protection wall of artificial lake near the piers in the middle portion of barrage got breached. Two piers of the flood gates, on Nikki Tawi side were also damaged near 4th Tawi bridge. The new concrete bund being raised by the JKPCC during rainy season, hardly one month back on this fourth bridge on Ware House side also got damaged. The new filling between the approach road and first pillar of the bridge also got washed away in flood, exposing bridge to the danger of being washed away in yet another such flood.
At least two dozen villages in Phallain Mandal area, Marh and Satwari blocks, on both banks of the river suffered heavy damage due to land erosion. Near fourth bridge, down stream many houses at the Tawi bank were got cleared and the people were asked to move to the safer places. The water entered many houses and shops in many localities of Jammu city and the nallahs were over flooded. Water logging at many places disrupted the movement of traffic in the city.
House of one Sudesh Kumar collapsed in Ashok Nagar area of Satwari but no casualty or injury to anybody was reported. Two more houses of SC community members got damaged in Bahu Fort area. Landslides blocked Bahu Fort -Harki Poudi road today. Power supply to many areas remained affected for hours together in Jammu city and other areas.
Two persons were killed when a Scorpio vehicle No. JK02AX/ 5291 slipped into a deep nallah during heavy rain in Sher Bibi area of Ramban district this morning. The deceased have been identified Showkat Ahmed from Kapran in Anantnag and Ghulam Mohd Drabu, resident of Chanjlu village of Banihal.
Two villagers were buried alive and three others seriously injured as a kutcha house collapsed at Subhar Dhar in Shorara area of Bhaderwah in district Doda this afternoon. It was raining and the SFC labourers were taking rest in temporary Kutcha house.
The deceased were identified as Dost Mohd (55), son of Mohd Sharief and Saifuddin (30), son of Abdul Qayoom, residents of Dharaveri village in Gandoh. Three other persons were injured in the mishap. They were identified as Mohd Akbar, son of Gulla Sheikh, Mohd Rafi son of Ghulam Qadir and Saif-ul-Din, all residents of Dharaveri in Gandoh. The dead bodies and other trapped persons in the house were rescued after long efforts of one and half hour by locals of the area. The injured were then shifted to Sub District Hospital, Bhaderwah.
BMO, Bhaderwah Dr Y S Kotwal told that injured were responding to the treatment and their condition was stable.
One elderly person was killed when a house collapsed at Parhaladpur in Mandal area of district Jammu today. The deceased has been identified as Fateh Chand (85). The other members of the house managed to escape. His body was later extricated from the debris.
Reports from Samba said that middle aged Darshno Devi, wife of Swarn Singh, resident of Deon village in Purmandal block was buried alive as their houses were damaged due to landslides at the village this morning. The villagers later rushed to the area and removed the body from the debris.
Deputy Commissioner, Kathua Ramesh Kumar told the Excelsior that three members of a family were injured after their house collapsed at village Jakhbar near Kathua this morning. He said that all the injured were rescued by police and locals of the area and then removed to Kathua hospital. Later, they were referred to GMC Hospital, Jammu.
He further disclosed that Revenue officers were sent to the village and immediate relief including tent , ration and utensils were provided to the family.
Due to flash flood in Nangli Nallah in Bhoond area of Basohli this afternoon, two women were washed away. One of them was rescued and another got washed away. Later, her dead body was recovered by the villagers. She was identified as Bijli Devi (60), wife of Kamal, resident of Sheetal Nagar, Bhoond.
Ujh and Tarnah rivers caused extensive damage to the standing crops due to soil erosion. A bandh on river Ujh also breached in Chhabbe Chak area and standing crops in about 2 sq kms area got marooned in flooded water. Due to flooded nallahs traffic on old Samba-Kathua road remained suspended today. Basohli-Bani and Dayala Chak -Billawar roads were also closed due to landslides and were restored in the evening. But many link roads to various villages including Billawar- Machedi were still closed.
Two PHE workers got trapped in Naj river near Billawar this morning. SDM Billawar and SHO rushed to the area. With the help of SDRF men, the police rescued the trapped persons from flooded river. They were identified as Angrez Singh (50) and Ramesh Singh (32), hailing from Ramkote area.
A Met spokesman said that nearly 158 mm rainfall was recorded in Jammu since last evening till 5 .30 pm today. He said during next few days moderate to heavy rain is expected across the region and weather will improve after August 9. On July 27, 162 mm rainfall was recorded in Jammu, which resulted into heavy floods and two deaths of minor girls in Janipur area.
Reports from Poonch said that due to cloud burst in Arai area of Mandi, six water mills and a two storey house were washed away and nearly 700 mt portion of road between Mandi and Loran was sunk. Two bikes were also washed away in floods and 15 vehicles were trapped along the damaged. The road link to Loran has been totally snapped. A house of one Mir Mohd at Harni in Mendhar collapsed but no death or injury to anybody has been reported. From Arai area about eight families have been shifted to safer locations.
In Udhampur, a large number of Machhil yatra pilgrims remained stranded till late tonight due to closure of highway between Udhampur and Chenani. At Kheri sliding zone, the highway was cleared twice but mud slides and boulders again blocked the road at around 4 pm. It was blocked till the filing of the report late tonight. Ramnagar-Basantgarh road, Gordi-Barmeen and Pancheri roads were also closed.
At Khajura Pani near Gordi, four houses were damaged in land slides. No casualty has been reported there. 15 families have been shifted to safer areas from the danger zone, SDPO Ramanbar Deepak Dingra said.
Udhampur-Jammu rail track was also blocked due to land slides for four hours near Ramnagar junction but it was cleared at 11.30 am. Reasi-Dharmari-Mahore road also remained blocked today near Dharmari. Chopper service to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine also remained suspended for long today and later resumed in the afternoon. But Yatra was going on smoothly.
Reports from Srinagar said that a house was completely damaged in a cloudburst that hit Narastan village of Tral area of Pulwama district today while several others were also damaged as a result of flash-floods as intermittent rains lashed Kashmir Valley since wee hours.
The cloud burst hit Nooristan, a remote Gujjar basti, after heavy rains started in the area, resulting in complete damage to a house. The cloud burst triggered flash-floods and that resulted in damage to several houses in Satoora village. The flash floods also damaged a local mosque and a bridge at Aripal.
Reports said that heavy rains lashed all four districts of south Kashmir since wee hours. The rainfall created water-logging in several areas, forcing residents to stay indoors. The north and central Kashmir districts including in summer capital Srinagar experienced light rainfall intermittently till afternoon. However, the weather improved later.
A Meteorological Department official said that there is prediction of rain/thundershower in Srinagar on Monday. “Maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 27 °C and 18°C respectively,” he said.
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