In Jammu and Kashmir, heavy rains battered most parts of Jammu divison, triggering flood-like situation in several low-lying areas and causing damage to a vital bridge on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway.
Akashvani Correspondent reports that Jammu recorded 190.4 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours, the second-highest downpour this month in a century. The authorities have issued advisories asking people to stay away from water bodies and landslide-prone areas amid a weather forecast predicting moderate to intense rainfall with possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in high altitude areas till August 27. In Jammu, at least 45 students of the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) were evacuated to safety in a joint operation by the SDRF and police after floodwaters submerged the ground floor of the hostel complex.
SDRF and police deployed manpower equipped with boats to reach out the students after more than seven feet of water from the overflowing canal entered their hostel buildings this morning. The rescue operation continued for more than five hours and all the trapped students were evacuated to safety.
Normal life was disrupted in Jammu city because of the heavy downpour which led to overflowing of streams and drains, leading to inundation of roads and flood waters entering homes at several places, including Janipur, Roop Nagar, Talab Tilloo, Jewel chowk, New Plot and Sanjay Nagar. Boundary walls of several houses were also damaged, while nearly a dozen vehicles were swept away in the flash floods. A portion of a road adjacent to a temple near Tawi bridge caved in, while a culvert on the exit gate of Jammu bus stand also collapsed owing to the heavy rainfall. The overflowing streams and drains aggravated the situation in low-lying areas where the flood waters entered home, damaging boundary walls at several places and dozens of vehicles.
A bridge near Logate Morh on Jammu-Pathankot national highway was damaged in the middle due to overflowing of Sahar Khad nallah following heavy rains in Kathua district and the traffic on the highway was diverted through the alternate bridge. Water levels in major rivers and streams, including Basantar in Samba, Ujh and Ravi in Kathua, Chenab in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Jammu and Tawi in Udhampur and Jammu rose sharply, prompting the administration to put disaster response teams and local police on alert.
So far, there have been no immediate reports of casualties, but the rains have triggered landslides at several places in Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region. The strategic 250 km Jammu-Srinagar national highway is open for traffic despite heavy rains, while the Mughal road connecting twin border districts if Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu division with Shopian district in Kashmir division and Sinthan road linking Kishtwar and Doda districts in Jammu with Anantnag in Kashmir were closed owing to landslides at different places.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has directed all departments concerned to remain on high alert amid heavy rains and advised people to remain cautious amid a weather forecast predicting moderate to intense rainfall with possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in high altitude areas till August 27.
