Rain, flash floods, hail batter parts of Jammu

Three people, including two minor siblings and a 60-year-old man, were killed after flash floods and five major landslides triggered by torrential rains wreaked havoc in the Ramban district of Jammu & Kashmir in the early hours of Sunday, officials aware of the matter said, adding that the people died after their homes were swept away in the Bagna village area.

The freak weather also caused extensive damage to the region, leaving over several vehicles destroyed, washing away 30 houses, displacing dozens of families and blocking the 250km-long Jammu-Srinagar highway (NH44) from both ends. The blockade has stranded commuters as the highway is the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country.

It was not immediately clear if there was a cloudburst. “Heavy to very heavy rain was recorded in Jammu & Kashmir but we cannot say if it was a cloudburst. In hilly areas we do not have that kind of an observation network which can tell us if there was a cloudburst,” said M Mohapatra, director general at the India Meteorological Department.

According to officials, at least 45 families comprising 100 people were rescued from the region by 10am on Sunday.

Ramban district commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary said that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams along with police have been deployed in the areas affected by landslides and flooding. “Vehicular movement has been stopped from both ends on 250km-long Jammu-Srinagar highway (NH44) due to landslides, mudslides and shooting stones at several places,” a police officer said on condition of anonymity.

The three deceased people were identified by police as siblings Aqib Ahmad, 12,and Mohd Saqib, 14, and Muni Ram, 60, from two different homes. “At least 30 houses were damaged, of which 10 were completely destroyed in the Dharamkund area,” Choudhary said. The victims died after their houses were swept away by a flooded rivulet in Bagna which inundated their homes.

Officials said that heavy rainfall coupled with hailstorm, which began around 1.30am on Sunday, triggered flash floods and landslides in the region. “Ramban town, Banihal, Khari, Batote, Dharamkund, Seri, Bagna, Chamba and other areas were impacted by bad weather,” Choudhary said, adding that “Around 4.30am, we rescued 45 families from Dharamkund... These families have been accommodated in a government school and food is being given to them.”

He said rescue operations were still going on. “We have advised people not to venture out till the weather improves,” said Choudhary.

IMD had warned of heavy to very heavy rain over the Union territory earlier in the week. HT had reported on April 16 that a western disturbance was approaching the Western Himalayan region, with the weather turning hostile especially over Jammu & Kashmir from April 18 to 20.

IMD’s said moderate to heavy rainfall was reported over Jammu & Kashmir region between Saturday morning and Sunday morning. Some of the representative values were Banihal which recorded 71mm rainfall; Qazi Qund 53mm, Kukernag 43mm, Pahalgam 34mm and Srinagar 12mm. The Srinagar radar showed convection at 80-100mm south-southeast of Srinagar, with the possibility of severe weather activity over the region during the morning hours of Sunday. Zanskar on Sunday recorded 300mm snowfall.

With the latest fatalities, five people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents in the Jammu region in two days. Two people, including a woman, were killed and another woman was injured when they were struck by lightning in the Arnas area of Reasi district on Saturday.

Authorities have also directed to keep all government and private schools closed in the district on Monday due to bad weather. The landslides were triggered in different areas along the highway, including at Panthyal, Marog and Battery Chashma. “The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is ready with people and machinery, but heavy rains are hampering restoration works. The weather is expected to turn stable on Monday afternoon. Only then can the debris be removed and the affected stretches restored” Choudhary added. Purported visuals showed vehicles including a car and trucks perilously hanging on edge after road beneath was washed away partially in Marog.

J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the loss of lives. “We are in touch with the local administration to ensure immediate rescue efforts wherever needed. Later today, I will be reviewing restoration, relief, and repair plans,” the chief minister’s office said in a post on X.

Sinha said that all possible assistance is being extended to the affected families. “Deeply anguished by the tragic loss of precious lives due to the flash floods triggered by incessant rain in Ramban,” he said in a post on X.

With inputs from Jayashree Nandi