Heavy rains batter Jammu for 3rd consecutive day
Jammu Tawi, July 21: Torrential rains triggered flash floods in Beerwah and Khag areas of Budgam district on Tuesday, sweeping away a man and causing extensive damage to shops, roads and public infrastructure, while rescue teams continued searching for missing persons in the flood-ravaged districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
Officials said Shabir Ahmad Poswal of Drang village in Khag was swept away near Gujarpati and is feared dead. Search operations are underway.
Heavy rain continued to lash Jammu for the third consecutive day, causing widespread waterlogging and disrupting normal life. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Katra recorded the highest rainfall at 107.1 mm in the last 24 hours, followed by Poonch (61.5 mm), Reasi (54.5 mm), Rajouri (49 mm) and Jammu city (35 mm).
Officials said at least 23 people have lost their lives and seven remain missing in rain-related incidents across Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts since Sunday. As a precaution, the Amarnath Yatra, Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, Shiv Khori Yatra and Machail Mata Yatra remained suspended for the third consecutive day due to persistent rainfall, landslides and the threat of flash floods.
Several highways and link roads remained blocked by landslides and mudslides, while restoration work continued despite intermittent rain. The Meteorological Centre has forecast cloudy weather with intermittent rain and thunderstorms across Jammu and Kashmir till July 23, warning of flash floods, landslides and rising water levels in rivers and streams.
In Beerwah, the overflowing Sukhnag stream inundated markets, washed away several shops, including portions of a municipal shopping complex, and damaged the temporary road linking Beerwah with Budgam and Khansahib. A drinking water pipeline was also damaged, disrupting water supply. Residents urged authorities to restore connectivity and strengthen flood protection measures.
Search and rescue operations entered the third day in Surankote, Poonch, with police and NDRF teams continuing efforts to trace missing persons despite adverse weather. The Jammu-Poonch National Highway remained closed due to a landslide, while a 60-year-old man was injured after his mud house collapsed in Mandi.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reviewed the situation and directed officials to ensure prompt rescue, relief and restoration. He said 356 of the 435 damaged roads had been restored and instructed all agencies, including the SDRF, NDRF, Army, BRO, NHAI and J&K Police, to work in close coordination.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the loss of lives in Poonch and announced an ex gratia of ₹6 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased. He also deputed Ministers Javed Ahmed Rana and Satish Sharma to oversee relief efforts in Rajouri and Poonch.
During his visit to flood-hit Rajouri, Minister Satish Sharma reviewed rescue and rehabilitation measures, inspected damaged infrastructure, visited relief camps and assured affected families that the government would provide all necessary assistance while expediting restoration of essential services.
Govt to assess rain losses; provide relief: CM
Srinagar, Jul 21: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the government will assess the losses suffered by people affected by the recent rains and provide relief as per the prescribed norms. He further said an inquiry into the widespread waterlogging in Srinagar, assuring that Smart City works will undergo a third-party audit.
Replying to questions during a press conference here, Abdullah said the administration would begin assessing losses once the weather improves and provide compensation to affected families in accordance with the existing guidelines.
“As far as compensation is concerned, the losses suffered by people will be assessed, and relief will be provided as per the prescribed guidelines,” he said.
The Chief Minister said an inquiry would be conducted after the weather improves to identify shortcomings and determine the corrective measures required to prevent such incidents in future. “Let the weather improve. We will conduct an inquiry and decide what corrective action needs to be taken,” he said.
Expressing regret over the situation, Omar described the flooding of the Civil Secretariat as “a matter of shame”, saying it was unacceptable that even the ground floor of the Secretariat was inundated.
“It is a matter of shame for us that even the ground floor of the Civil Secretariat was under water. This is not a normal situation,” he said.
The CM said the government was using all available resources to improve Srinagar’s drainage system, but the problem had accumulated over decades and could not be resolved overnight.
