J&K: Eight Killed as Inclement Weather Wreaks Havoc

Srinagar: At least eight persons were killed in Jammu’s Kathua district due to flood and landslides caused by heavy rainfall in the region, the district administration told NewsClick on Wednesday. 

The disaster occurred in the upper reaches of the district, after which a rescue operation was launched by the police and the Indian Army for others feared to be trapped under the debris. The police officials on the site said that two houses belonging to Mushtaq Ahmed and Abdul Qayum collapsed in Bani village due to heavy rainfall, after which several persons, including children, were buried under these houses.

Following the incident, the UT administration and the political leadership, including the National Conference, Apni Party and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), expressed solidarity with the families of the deceased. 

“In this moment of grief, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased,” National Conference said in a statement. 

“I am deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to landslides in Bani tehsil of Kathua district. My heart goes out to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and everyone’s safety and well-being,” senior politician Ghulam Nabi Azad tweeted. 

The latest incident comes days after two students were killed after they were swept away during a flash flood in Bajoi Billawar town of Kathua district earlier on Saturday.

In Kathua, water in the Ujh barrage was also reported to have reached near maximum level creating a flood-like situation. Heavy rainfall also lashed the Katra area in Reasi, following which the authorities suspended the pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, partly especially from the new track. The district administration has advised people to stay indoors and avoid vulnerable spots which are prone to landslides and flash floods. 

“Exercise caution near bridges and culverts where the water level can be strong and unpredictable,” the advisory read. Similar advisories have also been issued in other areas, including Ramban, where district administration has urged the people to stay away from river banks due to the rising levels in the Chenab River. 

The sub-division of Katra has received about 315.44 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, and more rains are expected in the coming days. 

According to an online weather monitoring group, Kashmir Weather, Reasi, including Katra, could potentially experience its wettest July, surpassing all previous records. The highest monthly rainfall total for Katra is 1144.0 mm, recorded back in 1988, it said. 

The traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway has also been suspended due to bad weather, as the traffic authorities have advised people to avoid commutes until repair work is completed. The Mughal road, which connects Pir Panjal Valley to Kashmir Valley, has also been shut down due to landslides. 

The authorities have also ordered the closure of schools in the Doda and Kishtwar areas of Chenab Valley, while the water level in many areas of Jammu flows close to the danger mark. 

Jammu and Kashmir have been witnessing erratic weather this summer, with unseasonal rain and snowfall disrupting normal life across the region. There have been growing incidents of landslides and flash floods in higher reaches of the union territory that many believe is an outcome of incoherent weather conditions.