Jammu, Sept 16: People living in majestic Pir Panjal and Shivalik ranges in Jammu region built their dream homes believing the mountains would shelter them, but now they are forced to leave their villages which have started “sinking” due to land subsidence caused by heavy rains.
Eleven villages in Ramban, Reasi, Jammu, and Poonch are facing a Uttarakhand’s Joshimath-like sinking crisis since September 5, as cracks have appeared in houses, fertile fields are disappearing and families are fleeing their ancestral homes in fear and uncertainty.
More than 3,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in these villages, officials said.
Land sinking in Ramban district’s Tangar village near the Sawalakot hydel project has damaged 22 to 25 houses and a government high school, while 140 more houses across a four-kilometre area are at risk.
“It was a bolt from the blue for us. First, we lived under fear and terror due to the threat of cloudburst, flash floods, and landslides caused by heavy rains at the end of August. This was followed by sudden cracks in our houses and subsequent damage to most homes here,” said Ravi Kumar, a resident of Tangar.
Ravi, whose family now lives in a tent fearing house collapse, said they have nowhere to stay. “Winters are coming, and the entire area is unsafe. The village may vanish as the land keeps sinking and cracks widen daily.”
Similarly, Anil Kumar, who had entered his new house on January 1, 2024, said they are going to leave the village and shift to a safer place as their house is unsafe due to multiple cracks in it.
“The house was built with hard-earned money after years of toil and labour. Now the dream house is lost. It can fall any time as the cracks are widening,” he said.
Sunil Kumar, an engineer from the village, said that this catastrophe, first seen in Joshimath, is now affecting several villages, including Tangar, with similar land subsidence, cracks, and damage.
Ramban MLA Arjun Singh Raju, Deputy Commissioner Iliyas Khan and other officials visited the site Saturday to assess the damage.
Khan said a vast area is “sinking”, with many houses developing cracks. “Schools are closed, and displaced residents are housed in NHPC quarters. The situation is under close watch.”
In the Shivalik range of Ramban district, land subsidence has been displacing hundreds of mountain dwellers for years. On April 26, 2024, Pernote village suffered a major collapse, damaging 58 houses and forcing 500 residents to evacuate. The Sangaldan area in the district also faced land subsidence few years ago.
A grave situation is unfolding in the Pir Panjal and Shivalik ranges as land subsidence devastated several villages like Kalaban of Poonch, Khari, Rah Salyote, and Barimini of Jammu, Sarh and Jamslan of Reasi, Panjnara and Badhaal of Rajouri, Piyas of Kishtwar and Jamoda of Samba.
Kalaban village in Mendhar tehsil, near the LoC, faced land subsidence on September 11, impacting over 1,000 people and damaging over 95 houses, a graveyard, and a mosque. Residents have been relocated to safer shelters.
“Village may disappear as it is sinking. Our homes are buried. What was once a lively nallah is now dry, and the river has vanished. We believe this is the main cause of the land subsidence,” said Rafeeq Ahmed, a local resident.
After the subsidence began, joint teams of the Army, SDRF, and police evacuated 700 families and provided tents and ration supplies to them.
The tragedy is seen as man-made, as villagers put blame on poor planning and neglect of ecology.
“Roads lack proper drainage in these fragile hills. Only the Almighty can now save us,” said Rafeeq, living in a tent with six family members.
Another resident Bano Begum called the situation catastrophic, saying “we once fed our families from our homes and land, but now everything has sunk into the nallah.”
She added, “Nearly 100 houses and 1,000 kanals of land are affected, and a perennial spring has vanished, likely triggering the disaster.”
Yasir, a local labourer, said “we live on the roads, feeding our children in fear. We need relocation and safer plots to rebuild our village. How can we live in terror, fearing the land will swallow us next?”
Minister Javed Rana, who visited the area on Sunday, said “the government has ordered temporary settlements, immediate relief, and a proposal for permanent resettlement for them”.
The story is not different in the rest of hamlets facing Joshimath-like situation, which has forced over 3,000 to 3,500 people to abandon their homes.
In Reasi’s Sarh and Jamslan, 70 houses were damaged by land sinking, with Deputy Commissioner Nidhi Malik confirming that all residents have been safely evacuated to relief camps.
Shamsher Din of Jamslan said light cracks appeared days earlier, but overnight the ground sank three-four feet, collapsing their house. “We managed to move to a safer place,” he said.
Authorities are consulting geological and mining experts to determine the cause of land subsidence. A team of experts will soon inspect the site, officials said.
Due to the land subsidence, several roads in the area have caved-in, disrupting connectivity. It has also damaged agricultural fields.
