Srinagar, Apr 20: Three persons were killed after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods and landslides in Ramban district early Sunday morning. Flash floods have caused large-scale destruction in the district. The officials revealed that more than 100 people were rescued from the affected areas.
According to officials, the flash floods hit Dharam Kund village after a stream overflowed due to incessant rains. Around 40 residential houses were damaged, and several vehicles were swept away. Rescue teams, including police, SDRF, and Civil QRT Ramban, acted swiftly despite the ongoing downpour and cloudbursts.
“The deceased have been identified as Aqib Ahmad and Saqib Ahmad, both sons of Mohammad Haneef. Another victim was identified as Muneer Ahmad from Bhagna village,” an official said.
Several buildings and vehicles were also damaged in Ramban. Locals have urged the government for help and rehabilitation as they claimed that they had lost their shops and livelihood.
Expressing his grief over deaths and damage, Union Minister Jitendra Singh shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) stating, “The National Highway stands blocked. Unfortunately, there have been 3 casualties. The district administration deserves appreciation for timely and prompt action, which helped save several precious lives.”
In his post Dr Jitendra assured that all forms of relief, including financial help, are being provided. “If needed, I am ready to offer support from my resources,” he added.
National Conference president , Dr Farooq Abdullah also called for urgent support. “This is a disaster. There is a huge loss in Banihal. We request the centre to assist and compensate for the damage,” he said.
Meanwhile, The Meteorological Centre Srinagar has forecast light to moderate rain at most places across Jammu and Kashmir today, with chances of thunderstorms, hailstorms, and gusty winds expected during the afternoon and evening hours. Higher reaches may witness light snowfall during this period, officials said.
The weather is likely to remain generally cloudy on April 21, with a possibility of light rain and thunderstorms at scattered places. However, from April 22 to April 28, the weather is expected to stay mostly dry, though light cloudiness may develop by the evening of April 25.
Authorities have issued an advisory asking people to remain cautious during thunderstorms and lightning, and avoid venturing into open or unsafe areas when gusty winds prevail. There is also a risk of landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones in vulnerable locations, especially along hilly roads and steep slopes.
Farmers have been specifically advised to suspend all farming operations until April 21 in view of the wet weather conditions. Travelers have been urged to follow the latest advisories issued by the administration and the traffic department.
Meanwhile, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) will continue to remain closed for vehicular movement as heavy rainfall and flash floods have severely hampered restoration efforts on the vital road link, officials said.
According to the Traffic Department, flash floods and landslides at multiple locations have caused significant damage to road stretches between Nashri and the NAVYUG Tunnel. The ongoing restoration work, aimed at making the road traffic-worthy, has faced continuous setbacks due to the unfavourable weather conditions.
Officials confirmed that the highway, which is the primary connection between Kashmir and the rest of the country, will stay shut for all types of traffic until the repair work is completed and the surface is declared safe for movement.
“In view of restoration work not being completed till 8 PM and considering the safety of commuters, the vehicular movement on Jammu-Srinagar NHW shall remain suspended,” the traffic advisory stated, urging people to avoid any travel on the stretch until further notice.
Authorities stated that efforts are underway to restore the route as early as possible, however advised travelers to keep track of the latest traffic updates before planning any journey on the highway.
Furthermore, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department reported normal water levels in the Jhelum River and its tributaries as of 8 PM today. At Sangam, the Jhelum was flowing at 14.04 feet, well below the alert level of 21 feet. At Munshibagh, the water level stood at 15.50 feet against the flood mark of 18 feet, while at Asham it measured 9.41 feet.
Tributaries including Vishow Nallah, Rambiyara, Lidder, Doodhganga, and Sindh Nallah also recorded normal flows, and the situation is being closely monitored by the concerned department.
