Jammu/Srinagar, 24 Aug

Heavy rains battered most parts of Jammu and Kashmir overnight, triggering flood-like situation in several low-lying areas and causing damage to a vital bridge on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway, officials said.

Jammu recorded 190.4 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours ending 8.30 am, the second-highest downpour this month in a century. The highest rainfall for August remains 228.6 mm, logged on 5 August, 1926 while the previous second-highest was 189.6 mm on 11 August, 2022.

Authorities have issued advisories asking people to stay away from water bodies and landslide-prone areas amid a weather forecast predicting moderate to intense rainfall with possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in high altitude areas till 27 August.

In Jammu, at least 45 students of the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) were evacuated to safety in a joint operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police after floodwaters submerged the ground floor of the hostel complex, officials said.

SDRF and police deployed manpower equipped with boats to reach out the students after more than seven feet of water from the overflowing canal entered their hostel buildings this morning, the officials said.

They said the rescue operation continued for more than five hours and all the trapped students were evacuated to safety.

Director IIIM, an autonomous body under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Zabeer Ahmed said the institute has made arrangements for the safe stay of the students.

Normal life was disrupted in Jammu city because of the heavy downpour which led to overflowing of streams and drains, leading to inundation of roads and flood waters entering homes at several places, including Janipur, Roop Nagar, Talab Tilloo, Jewel chowk, New Plot and Sanjay Nagar.

Boundary walls of several houses were also damaged, while nearly a dozen vehicles were swept away in the flash floods, the officials said.

A portion of a road adjacent to a temple near Tawi bridge caved in, while a culvert on the exit gate of Jammu bus stand also collapsed owing to the heavy rainfall.

The overflowing streams and drains aggravated the situation in low-lying areas where the flood waters entered home, damaging boundary walls at several places and dozens of vehicles.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has directed all departments concerned to remain on high alert amid heavy rains. He advised people to remain cautious amid a weather forecast predicting moderate to intense rainfall with possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in high altitude areas till 27 August.

The CM directed all departments to remain on high alert in view of heavy rains across Jammu and Kashmir, which have caused waterlogging in several residential areas and led to rivers and nallahs flowing above the danger mark.

The Chief Minister’s Office is in constant touch with the line departments to monitor the evolving situation. He said special priority is being given to clearing waterlogged areas, restoring drainage systems, and ensuring the immediate resumption of essential services including drinking water supply and electricity in the affected regions.

An official of the traffic department said the strategic 250-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway and 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway is open for traffic despite heavy rains, while the Mughal road connecting Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu with south Kashmir’s Shopian and Sinthan road linking Kishtwar and Doda districts in Jammu with south Kashmir’s Anantnag were closed owing to landslides at different places.

A bridge near Logate Morh on Jammu-Pathankot highway was damaged in the middle due to overflowing of Sahar Khad nallah following heavy rains in Kathua district, the officials said, adding the traffic on the highway was diverted through the alternate bridge.

Officials said water levels in major rivers and streams, including Basantar in Samba, Ujh and Ravi in Kathua, Chenab in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Jammu and Tawi in Udhampur and Jammu rose sharply, prompting the administration to put disaster response teams and local police on alert.

So far, there have been no immediate reports of casualties, but the rains have triggered landslides at several places in Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region and Gurez in north Kashmir, the officials said.

In Jammu region, Udhampur recorded the second highest 144.2 mm of rainfall followed by Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, at 115 mm and Samba (109.0 mm) and Kathua (90.2 mm).

The summer capital Srinagar recorded 13.5 mm of rainfall, the officials said.