Jammu: Heavy rainfall has thrown life out of gear across the Jammu region, forcing the closure of major highways and several inter-district roads due to landslides, swollen rivers, and damaged bridges.
At least six pilgrims were killed and several others feared trapped after a landslide struck the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine route atop Trikuta hills on Tuesday afternoon. In separate rain-related incidents, four more people died in Doda district.
Traffic on the Jammu–Pathankot National Highway was suspended near Vijaypur in Samba after a bridge pillar on the Devak river collapsed, police said. “We have stopped movement from both Jammu and Kathua sides. The highway is completely shut for now,” SSP Traffic Rural Jammu Girdhari Lal Sharma confirmed. Hundreds of trucks and light vehicles remain stranded.
Movement of heavy vehicles has also been halted due to rising water levels in the Basanter, Iarnah, Ujh, and Sahar rivers, coupled with relentless rains in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts.
The Jammu–Srinagar National Highway remains closed following multiple landslides and shooting stones, while the Jammu–Udhampur stretch is blocked at several points. In Jammu city, the Bikram Chowk–Dogra Chowk bridge and the Fourth Tawi bridge were closed after a sudden surge in the river. A portion of the connecting road to the Fourth bridge caved in, sending four vehicles into a gorge, though no injuries were reported.
Several inter-district roads have also been blocked, including Bani–Basohli at Sukha Nallah, Basohli–Mabanru at Dhani, Mahappur–Kathua at Peddy Nallah, and Qiala Chak–Ramkote near Kali Mata Mandir. The Srinagar–Sonamarg–Gumri road has been shut due to a landslide at Bajri Nallah. Authorities have urged residents to avoid travel until clearance work is completed.
Jammu city has recorded over 250 mm of rainfall in the last 20 hours, pushing rivers above danger levels. The Tawi in Udhampur is flowing at 36.1 ft — 13 ft above the evacuation mark and four ft higher than the 2014 flood peak. In Jammu, it stands at 34 ft, one ft above the 2014 record.
The Basanter in Samba is at its highest-ever level of 9 ft, well past the evacuation mark, while the Devak too has breached the danger mark. In Kathua, the Tarnah has touched the danger level of 4.6 ft, the Ujh Nallah is flowing above evacuation levels, and the Ravi is nearing the red mark.
