Minor among 3 rescued after flash floods in Samba, Rajouri
Jammu: The ongoing spell of torrential rains continued across Jammu region for the third day on Wednesday, triggering multiple landslides and mudslides, taking at least two lives, while resulting into blockade at the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, prompting suspension of vehicular traffic.
Three persons including a minor were rescued in two separate incidents of flash floods in Samba and Rajouri districts, while multiple structures including ‘kutcha’ houses and cowsheds have also suffered damages.
The weathermen have predicted the continuation of rains on Thursday as well, even as an IMD guidance bulletin warned of a low to moderate risk of flash floods in Jammu division.
In Reasi district, two men were killed after a landslide triggered by heavy rains hit their tent, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident took place near a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva in the Badora mountainous belt of Mahore tehsil during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, they said.
The two, who were deployed to smoothen the track leading to the shrine, were sleeping in a tent when the landslide struck, they added.
An operation was launched by civilians and police, and both bodies were recovered from the debris, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as 26-year-old Rashpal Singh, a resident of Tuli Kalavan, and 23-year-old Ravi Kumar, a resident of Chenani.
The bodies will be handed over to the families after postmortem.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has condoled the loss of lives in Badora area of Reasi district.
“The landslide incident at Badora in Reasi is saddening. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved family members who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Two men and a nine-year-old boy were rescued on Wednesday in two separate incidents of flash floods in Samba and Rajouri districts, officials said.
While the men were rescued by NDRF in Samba, the boy was rescued in a joint operation by Army, SDRF and police in the Rajouri district, officials said.
According to officials, the two individuals were trapped in a flash flood while they were attempting to cross Basantar river in Samba on a tractor. The NDRF team promptly launched a rescue operation and successfully saved both men from the rising waters after an hour-long operation, they said.
A nine-year-old boy was rescued in a joint operation by Army, SDRF and police after he got trapped in a river following flash floods in Rajouri, officials said, adding the child was grazing his cattle when heavy flash floods occurred and he got trapped in the middle of the river.
After receiving information, the Army, SDRF, police, and local divers conducted a coordinated rescue operation to save the boy trapped amid the rising waters of a flooded river in Rajouri, they said.
The army used a chopper to rescue the boy, they said, adding that it took three hours to carry out the joint operation. Timely action and seamless coordination ensured the safe evacuation of the boy from the floods, the official added.
Mudslides blocked the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district on Wednesday, prompting suspension of vehicular traffic and leaving hundreds of people, including Amarnath pilgrims, stranded, officials said.
However, there is no immediate threat of floods anywhere even as most of the water bodies, including rivers and streams, are in spate due to the rising water levels, the officials said.
They said the district authorities are closely monitoring the weather situation and have taken necessary measures to tackle any situation amid a flash flood alert by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) till July 24.
A mudslide due to flash floods hit a viaduct tunnel near Magerkote in Ramban district, blocking the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, an official of the traffic department said.
He said another mudslide occurred on the highway near Seri amid heavy rains.
The agencies concerned have mobilised their men and machines to clear the debris at both the places simultaneously to make the road traffic worthy, the spokesman said, advising people not to travel on the highway till the weather improves and the road is cleared.
Officials said hundreds of people, including two convoys carrying Amarnath pilgrims returning from Kashmir, were stranded at different places.
The highway is expected to be reopened for vehicular traffic within next couple of hours, provided there is improvement in the weather, the officials said.
The officials said the Kishtwar-Sinthan road was also blocked due to flash floods at Sinthan Nallah in Kishtwar district.
Reports of landslides forcing closure of various link roads in the mountainous Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Udhampur, Doda and Ramban districts were also received, the officials said, adding efforts are on to clear all these roads.
The officials said rains also caused damage to a number of ‘kutcha’ houses and cowsheds but the exact number would be known only after a detailed assessment.
Authorities on Tuesday set up 24×7 control rooms at almost all district headquarters across Jammu division.
The step was taken after IMD issued a guidance bulletin, warning of a low to moderate risk of flash floods in Jammu division over the next 24 hours, the officials said.
In response, the officials said the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) have been urged to take necessary precautions and measures as per established protocols to ensure public safety and mitigate risks.
According to officials of meteorological department, Udhampur district recorded the highest 51.8 mm of overnight rainfall followed by 20.5 mm in Ramban, 17.9 mm in Reasi and 8.5 mm in Jammu.
Director Meteorological department, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said that light to moderate rain and thunder are expected on Thursday at many places with intense showers and heavy to very heavy rain at isolated to scattered places of Jammu division, especially in Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Udhampur, Jammu & Kathua.
He also predicted the hot and humid weather conditions from July 25 to July 27 with possibility of brief showers at few places.
However, he said that intermittent light to moderate rain and thundershower with intense showers and heavy rain are expected at few places of Jammu division mainly towards late night/early morning hours from July 28 to July 30.
