Over 700 houses, about 100 tube/dug wells damaged in rains, floods
* Ravi bridge damaged, Jammu-Sgr NH, many other roads remain closed
* Power, water supply severely hit in many areas of region
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 27: While landslide tragedy in the Trikuta hills of Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra have claimed 35 lives of the pilgrims so far, four persons including a BSF jawan were killed in floods, whereas, at least 86 marooned people including 26 CRPF men were airlifted by Indian Air Force and Army after flooded Ravi river caused massive destruction with the breaking of three flood gates of the Lakhanpur barrage, causing extensive damage to the main road bridge over Ravi river.
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Officials said that more than 700 houses and over 100 tube wells and dug wells of the Jal Shakti/PHE Department have been damaged during past two days across the Jammu region due to rains and heavy floods in rivers like- Ujh, Tarnah, Basantar, Tawi, Chenab, Munawar and Devak, creating water supply crisis in hundreds of villages, prompting concerned officials to press water tankers to the affected areas. Power supply to many districts and tehsils of the region could not be restored even after two days and the communication systems also remained snapped in many areas.
Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, Batote-Doda-Kishtwar-Paddar, Katra- Reasi- Mahore-Gool, Kathua-Basohli- Bani, Udhampur- Ramnagar-Basantgarh and many other inter-district and link roads have been blocked due to multiple landslides. However, Mugal Road was restored today. Click here to watch video
Even the traffic on Jammu-Pathankote National Highway remained suspended for several hours due to flood in Lakhanpur Toll Plaza area and on the highway near the damaged bridge. The truckers immediately removed their vehicles and the staff there mounted on the first floor of the buildings. About 3 to 4 ft flood water level was observed in Toll Plaza area.
Officials at Katra Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said that 35 dead bodies have been recovered so far from the debris after landslide near Adhkuwari. They said about 22 of them have been identified. Most of them hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The families of many of them have reached Katra and the bodies after completion of the legal formalities by police are being handed over to their relatives, they added.
Another senior official said that Yatra was suspended yesterday after tragedy hit Trikuta hills of Katra. Yatra was restored through old route this evening. He said Army, Police and SDRF men were still engaged in rescue operation. Entire work is being carried out manually as it is not possible to use JCBs there.
At least 20 people were injured in this landslide triggered by incessant heavy rain and are undergoing treatment in different hospitals, the official said, adding the landslide struck near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Ardhkuwari, about halfway along the 11-km trek from Katra to the shrine, at around 3 PM on Tuesday.
A MeT official said that Jammu has recorded 380 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours ending at 8.30 AM on Wednesday, which is the highest for a 24-hour period since 1910 when the observatory was set up in the winter capital.
Reports said massive damage has been caused to the public infrastructure, including several key bridges, private houses and commercial establishments, due to overflowing of water bodies and flash floods across the region as many as over 7000 people have been evacuated from low-lying flooded areas. The phone and network services were restored across all networks on Wednesday, 24 hours after the damage to optical fibres caused the Union Territory.
In Kishtwar, massive flashflood after cloudburst at Margi village of remote Warwan area damaged at least 30 houses and a bridge and caused land erosion in the crop fields spread over 300 kanals.
“A team of SDRF and police led by Naib Tehsildar with two JCBs has been rushed to the area and rescue/ relief operation has been launched there. No loss of human life has been reported from there,” Dy Commissioner Kishtwar Pankaj Sharma said.
It is pertinent to mention here that at least 180 houses of this village were burnt in a massive fire incident during 2009. During last two days’ of rain at least 115 houses in district Kishtwar have been damaged. Over 150 houses in Kathua and more than 70 in Samba area reported to have been damaged due to rains.
A portion of main old bridge over river Ravi towards Lakhanpur suffered massive damage after three flood gates of the Ravi river were broken with the massive water flow and hit the bridge with great force this morning. Its first pillar (Embankment) towards J&K side was exposed and badly damaged while major portion of approach road was washed away. The flood water spread all over in Toll Plaza area and also on the Jammu-Pathankote highway and many other people got trapped in the buildings.
A panic gripped the entire area the administration from Kathua and Pathnakote sought help from the Army and Air Force. Two helicopters were pressed into service and they rescued 26 CRPF men of 121 Bn besides about 60 other persons including two Executive Engineers of the Irrigation and Flood Control Deptt of the Punjab Government. However, one of their employee washed away and died. Identified as Vinod Kumar, he was working over the flood gates with Madhopur Headwork wing of I&F/Water Resource Department of Punjab.
The authorities closed the second road bridge over Ravi after breach of flood gates. Many vehicles were partially submerged in the water and were later removed from there. It caused disruption in movement of vehicles on this busy highway for 2-3 hours.
A BSF jawan Rajiv Nunia hailing from Assam was washed away in the Chenab flood when he was deployed at a forward post in Pargwal area of Akhnoor sector last night.
The Army rescued at least 24 people from Balle De Bagh area of Akhnoor after Chenab flood water entered village. Chenab was flowing above danger mark this evening.
A youth was washed away in Chak Rakwala area in Tawi and his body was recovered from, the Tawi bank in Nagrota area today. He could not be identified so far. The body was shifted to GMC Jammu hospital.
The body of a washed away nearly 75-year-old villager was recovered from the bank of a Nallah in Marh area of Jammu today. He was half trapped in the mud. The police shifted the body to the mortuary of GMC Hospital Jammu.
The rains continued non-stop in most parts of the Jammu region over the past 24 hours with almost all water bodies, including Tawi, Chenab, Ujh, Ravi and Basanter, flowing several feet above the danger mark.
However, the water level in most of the water bodies started receding after the rains stopped at around 11 AM, though the weather remained cloudy.
Many localities of Jammu suffered badly due to rain and flood fury. Scores of houses and Government buildings were damaged. More than 60 vehicles were also damaged in Tawi flood in Peerkho area along Circular Road.
Tawi bund near Bikram Chowk adjoining temple has suffered damage due to heavy flood while a portion of approach road of 4th Tawi bridge has caved in. The movement of vehicles has been stalled. SKUAST- Chatha complex and GGM Science College Jammu remained submerged in water on the second day while many low lying areas of the city were also water logged. The city roads and lanes have suffered massive damages and many drains have washed away. Similar reports have been received from Kathua, Samba, Udhampur and some other areas.
The power infra has also suffered huge damage and many Jammu City areas were still in darkness. The power supply to many areas like Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Reasi remained snapped. Due to damage caused to over 100 tube/dug wells along the rivers and Nallahs the water supply has been badly hit in the region.
Reports from Rajouri said that continuous rainfall in the hilly stretches of Rajouri has triggered multiple landslides along the DKG-Bufliaz road, bringing vehicular movement to a grinding halt. A major landslide at Danar has completely blocked the road, while several other points between DKG and Bufliaz have also been affected, leaving commuters stranded and locals distressed.
Eyewitnesses reported that heavy boulders and loose debris rolled down the slopes, covering long stretches of the road. “Movement is impossible in some areas as the road is fully buried under landslide debris,” a local driver said while expressing concern over the recurring problem in the region.
Meanwhile, a Defence spokesman said that Indian Air Force today pressed into service six Mi-17 and one Chinook helicopters for relief and rescue operations in the flooded parts of Jammu.
Till evening, 90 people had been rescued, some of them Indian Army soldiers, he said.
Thousands of people have been evacuated from the low-lying flooded areas, as torrential rain continued in the region for the fourth day on Wednesday, creating havoc in many parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Till 5 pm on Wednesday, 90 people, including Army personnel, had been rescued from several flooded spots, the spokesman said.
Drinking water and food packets are being airdropped to those cut off by the floods.
“The IAF stands ready and resolute in providing succour and support to the affected population,” he added.
Educational institutions to remain closed
All educational institutions across Jammu and Kashmir will remain closed tomorrow on August 28 in view of the inclement weather.
Orders in this regard were issued today by the Government while Kashmir University has also announced postponement of the examinations scheduled to be held on August 28, 2025.
After the Education Minister Sakeena Itoo posted on social media X, announcing closure of all schools and colleges in the Union Territory on Thursday (August 28, 2025), Directorate of School Education Jammu/ Kashmir and Directorate of Colleges Development issued separate orders in this regard.
The Department of Higher Education also issued an order announcing closure of all universities tomorrow in view of inclement weather.
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