A cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides in Jammu & Kashmir’s Ramban district on Sunday, killing three people, blocking the Jammu-Srinagar national highway at several points, and disrupting power and water supply, officials said.
Several parts of the Union Territory have been hammered by torrential rain, high-velocity wind, lightning and hail since Saturday evening. Scores of houses, commercial establishments and vehicles have been damaged.
On Saturday, two nomads along with their flock of around 40 sheep were killed in a lightning strike in Reasi district’s Arnas area. They were identified as Mohammad Rashid, 52, and Shahbaz Begum, 32.
The three people killed in Ramban on Sunday have been identified as brothers Aqib Ahmad and Saqib Ahmad, and Muneer Ahmad. They died when a house collapsed at Seri Champa village on the outskirts of Ramban town.
Rescue teams in Ramban shifted nearly 500 people from low-lying areas to safer places, officials said.
The landslides buried a large number of vehicles along the national highway, as well as in Ramban town and its outskirts. Many people were left stranded along the national highway.
Ramban SSP (National Highway Traffic) Raja Adil Hamid Ganaie told reporters that the highway was blocked at five locations, including Panthyal, Seri and Kishtwari Pathar, due to landslides and shooting stones. Other roads were blocked as well.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said his government was in touch with local officials to coordinate the operations.
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“Extremely anguished by the tragic landslide and flash flood in Ramban, which have caused considerable damage to life and property. My thoughts are with the affected families in this difficult hour. We are in touch with the local administration to ensure immediate rescue efforts wherever needed. Later today, I will be reviewing restoration, relief, and repair plans,” Abdullah said in a post on X.
Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha said: “Deeply anguished by the tragic loss of precious lives due to the flash floods triggered by incessant rain in Ramban. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families in this hour of grief.”
Ramban Deputy Commissioner Baseer ul Haq told The Indian Express that high-velocity winds and a thunderstorm were followed by heavy rain and a hailstorm at around 1.10 am, causing landslides and flooding at many places.
The district administration, which had already established an emergency control room and sounded an alert in view of adverse weather forecasts by the Met department, made announcements from temples and mosques alerting people about the situation and asking them to contact designated officers in case of any emergency.
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Though the rain stopped at around 1.30 pm on Sunday, several areas were still without power supply because of the extensive damage to the electricity grid.
While the district administration has pressed men and machinery to restore roads and electricity, officials said it may take time to restore the damaged portions of the highway.
Meanwhile, the Mughal Road, which connects Jammu’s Poonch district with Shopian in Kashmir, was opened for vehicular traffic after nearly a week. The road was closed last Sunday following heavy snowfall.
In the hilly Kishtwar district, the Paddar sub-division and the district headquarters were cut off after a massive landslide at Pathar Naki along the Kishtwar-Paddar road, nearly 25 km from Kishtwar town.
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Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner R K Shavan said 22 families were temporarily shifted from there as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, the rain and hail caused extensive damage to standing crop and horticulture produce at several places in Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley regions of Jammu division.
Officials said that exact details of damage will be assessed after the weather improves.
Meanwhile, a day after the cancellation of nearly half-a-dozen flights, air traffic at Srinagar airport operated as usual till evening.
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Union Minister Jitendra Singh, in whose Udhampur-Kathua Lok Sabha constituency Ramban falls, expressed grief over the death of three people and loss of property. He said in in a social media post on X that “every kind of relief, both financial and otherwise, is being provided’’. He also hailed the district administration for “prompt action” that helped save lives.