Jammu/Srinagar: Torrential rains continued to lash large parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, claiming the lives of a woman and her daughter, and prompting the rescue of over 100 people from flood-hit areas, officials confirmed.
Since Tuesday, relentless downpours have triggered landslides, flash floods, and widespread damage across the region. Key roads, including the vital Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, remained closed for a second consecutive day due to debris and landslips.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, through a statement on X, directed authorities to clear waterlogged zones, protect essential services, and ensure timely evacuations in vulnerable areas.
Tragedy struck Kangri village in Rajouri district, where 55-year-old Sita Devi and her 23-year-old daughter Sonia were killed when their home collapsed under the pressure of rain-soaked earth.
In a daring rescue mission, the Border Security Force (BSF) deployed a helicopter to evacuate 47 stranded civilians from a flooded village in the Akhnoor sector. The operation was launched after local police and disaster response teams were unable to reach Fathu Kotli village in Garkhal due to the raging Chenab river, which surged several feet above its evacuation threshold of 42 feet.
Elsewhere, 25 people were rescued from submerged villages in Jammu and Samba districts, while another 25 nomadic families trapped beneath a bridge in Anantnag were brought to safety. In Kulgam’s Brazloo village, police rescued five nomadic families after the Vaishov Nalla overflowed late Tuesday night.
Flooding has gripped many areas in south Kashmir, including Pulwama, Shopian, and Kulgam. The Jhelum River rose two feet above its danger mark of 25 feet at Sangam and nearly reached the critical 21-foot level at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar, where rainfall eased by midday.
Emergency helplines have been activated across multiple police stations. Officials anticipate a gradual decline in water levels by tonight, though the situation remains dire in the Jammu region, especially along the Chenab.
In contrast, rivers such as the Tawi in Udhampur and Jammu, Ujh and Ravi in Kathua, and Basanter in Samba remained below flood-alert levels.
The Meteorological Department has forecast dry weather across the Union Territory from September 4 to 10, offering a glimmer of relief after last week’s devastating monsoon spell. On August 26 and 27, record rainfall in Jammu led to widespread destruction and loss of life.
As a precaution, the fourth Tawi bridge near Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu was closed to traffic late Tuesday. The bridge had sustained damage during the August 26 deluge but was temporarily restored by the army with a Bailey bridge on August 29.
Rainfall data recorded by 5:30 pm showed Katra in Reasi received the highest—318.4 mm—followed by Batote (211.3 mm), Banihal (143 mm), and Jammu (146.9 mm). In Kashmir, Qazigund topped the charts with 111.6 mm, followed closely by Kokernag (111.4 mm), Pahalgam (74.8 mm), Srinagar (46.9 mm), and Gulmarg (10 mm).
Due to multiple landslides and falling rocks, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, Mughal Road, Jammu-Srinagar-Leh Highway, and Jammu-Kishtwar Highway remain closed to traffic. Authorities have extended the closure of all government and private schools across the UT for Thursday.
Meanwhile, the pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Trikuta hills remains suspended for the ninth consecutive day. The yatra was halted on August 26, just hours before a landslide near Ardhkuwari claimed 34 lives and injured 20 others.
Reports of extensive damage to residential homes have emerged from Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch, Ramban, and Reasi districts, adding to the region’s mounting crisis.
