RAMBAN, Jul 31: A fresh landslide struck the Ramsoo area of Ramban district on Friday, partially obstructing the flow of the Bisleri Nala along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44). Authorities said the situation remains under control and no evacuation has been ordered, though officials are closely monitoring the area due to its history of landslides.
Ramsoo Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Muzahir Hussain Shah said the landslide occurred at the same vulnerable location that witnessed a major slide last year, which had completely blocked the Bisleri Nala and forced the evacuation of nearby residents.
“Last year, people were shifted to a nearby Government School for around 15 to 20 days after the nala was blocked. The administration ensured food, water and other essential facilities during their stay,” Shah said.
He noted that while the latest landslide has partially affected the flow of the nala, the blockage is not severe enough to pose an immediate threat to nearby habitations.
“We are maintaining constant surveillance. At present, there is no need for evacuation, but the administration remains on high alert and is continuously assessing the situation to prevent any untoward incident,” the SDM added.
The landslide comes amid continued monsoon activity across Jammu and Kashmir, with authorities keeping a close watch on vulnerable stretches along NH-44, particularly in Ramban district, which is prone to landslides and flash floods during the rainy season.
Meanwhile, in another development, electricity supply to Poonch district has been fully restored after remaining disrupted for ten days due to flash floods and heavy rainfall that damaged critical power infrastructure.
According to the Power Development Department (PDD), multiple transmission towers between Rajouri and Thanamandi were washed away during the torrential rains on July 19, cutting off the 132 KV power supply to the entire district.
Incharge Executive Engineer Altaf Ahmad Khan said PDD teams worked round the clock to restore the damaged infrastructure. Initially, power was supplied through temporary arrangements to support essential services, but the limited capacity could not meet the district’s full demand.
“The collapsed transmission towers have now been restored using the Emergency Restoration System (ERS), enabling Poonch district to receive its complete power allocation once again,” Khan said.
The same spell of heavy rain and cloudburst also triggered flash floods and landslides that extensively damaged the Thannamandi–DKG–Bufliaz Road, a strategically important Border Roads Organisation (BRO) project connecting the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch with the Kashmir Valley. Several stretches of the newly constructed road, along with culverts and trees, were washed away, affecting connectivity in the region.
