In Jammu and Kashmir, the 250-kms long strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH44), the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country remained closed for the third consecutive day today following multiple landslides, shooting stones and road erosion triggered by incessant rain.
Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reports that relentless rain, cloudbursts and flash floods over the past six days have claimed 26 lives in the Jammu region, while six persons are still missing.
Rescue teams have intensified searches for the missing in the worst-hit border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and deployed additional personnel to scan flood channels and vulnerable areas.
All rivers and streams were flowing above normal levels, while flash floods inundated several low-lying areas, damaging houses, shops and public infrastructure.
Rescue and relief operations involving the civil administration, police, SDRF, NDRF and other agencies continued across the affected districts. The NH44 remained blocked at Deohal Bridge, Samroli and Jakhani in Udhampur district and Banihal in Ramban district.
The restoration work was underway but continuous rainfall was hampering debris clearance and repair operations. More than 1 thousand vehicles remained stranded at Ramban, Nagrota, Jammu, Udhampur, Lakhanpur and Samba due to the highway closure. Commuters have been advised to avoid travel until the road is declared safe.
Besides the national highway, over a dozen inter-district roads, including the Doda-Kishtwar road remained closed due to landslides, mudslides and road erosion.
However, the historic Mughal Road connecting the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu division with the Shopian district in Kashmir division remained open despite heavy rainfall. The Meteorological Department said, weather conditions are likely to improve gradually in the evening.