KATRA/JAMMU: At least 30 people lost their lives and 23 others were injured after a massive landslide, triggered by heavy rains, struck the Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra track in Katra on Wednesday. Rescue operations are underway with multiple agencies pressed into service as large portions of the shrine path on Trikuta hill lay devastated.
A day earlier, another landslide had hit the route, killing nine pilgrims and injuring 21. Officials fear the toll could rise further as search teams comb through the debris.
The Union Territory has been battered by relentless downpours, unleashing flash floods and landslides that have crippled infrastructure. In Jammu, bridges collapsed, while power lines and mobile towers suffered extensive damage.
Jammu recorded its heaviest rainfall in years on Tuesday, with 22 cm of rain falling in just six hours between 11.30 am and 5.30 pm, according to official data. Though showers eased after midnight, the district continues to reel under the impact.
More than 3,500 residents have been evacuated to safety since Tuesday. Joint teams of the district administration, J&K Police, NDRF, SDRF, Indian Army and local volunteers are engaged in rescue and relief, moving families from high-risk areas to temporary shelters and providing food, water, and medical aid.
Meanwhile, vast areas remain cut off as telecom services collapse, leaving millions without communication.
Several parts of Jammu, RS Pura, Samba, Akhnoor, Nagrota, Kot Bhalwal, Bishnah, Vijaypur, Purmandal, and stretches of Kathua and Udhampur are among the worst-hit, while lighter rainfall was reported in Reasi, Ramban, Doda, Katra, Ramnagar, Hiranagar, Gool, and Banihal. Meteorologists said storm clouds had reached up to 12 km in height, with the system moving east-northeast, keeping hilly and foothill regions at risk.
The Northern Railways has cancelled 22 trains and short-terminated 27 others for Wednesday as floodwaters damaged tracks and bridges in the Jammu region. Services from Katra, Jammu, and Udhampur have been disrupted, including nine trains from the Vaishno Devi base camp. Train movement between Pathankot and Kandrori in Himachal Pradesh also remains suspended after flash floods in the Chakki River, though the Katra-Srinagar line is still operational
