Jammu, Sep 3: Flash floods, house collapse incidents triggered by torrential rains, which continued to batter the Jammu region on Wednesday, claimed three lives in Rajouri and Jammu districts while hundreds of civilians were evacuated to safety in Akhnoor, Rajouri, Poonch, and other places as all major water bodies were in full spate, creating a flood-like situation along the embankments.
Several houses and other structures were damaged in Akhnoor, Jammu, Reasi, Rajouri, and Ramban besides other places.
However, by the evening, as the rains stopped, water started receding in all the major rivers, except the Chenab, providing moments of reprieve.
However, apprehensions persisted amid adverse weather advisories for the next 14-16 hours, predicting a spell of heavy to very heavy rain over Jammu, Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Rajouri, Doda, and Ramban with the possibility of cloudburst, flash floods, and landslides at a few vulnerable places and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
By 7 pm, the water level of the Chenab River at Akhnoor continued to remain above the evacuation level at 43.0 feet. Water level of Tawi at Udhampur as well as at Jammu was, however, below the flood alert level.
Most of other streams and rivers in Jammu region, including in Samba, Kathua, and Poonch, were flowing below the flood alert levels.
The situation in Jammu district was particularly dismal in Akhnoor, where Chenab inundated several villages, particularly Fattu Kotli. Later, the Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Rana visited the Fattu Kotli area from where around 50 people trapped in flash floods were rescued by the Border Security Force, in perfect synergy with other forces.
Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat along with MLA Akhnoor Mohan Lal, visited BSF BOP Akhnoor, Jammu to review the flood situation and BSF’s rescue operations in border areas. DIG Sunderbani Varinder Datta briefed them on the ground situation.
In a related development, Director General Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Lieutenant General Raghu Srinivasan, who reached on a three-day visit to Jammu, inspected flood affected areas under Project Sampark to assess the damage to road infrastructure and review measures for its early restoration.
RAIN-INDUCED CALAMITIES TAKE 3 LIVES
A mother-daughter duo got buried under the debris of their Kachcha house, which collapsed in Kangri village of Sunderbani in Rajouri district amid heavy rains this morning. The deceased were identified as Sita Devi, wife of Rattan Lal, and their daughter Sonia.
In a separate incident, the body of a man, who, along with his vehicle, was swept away by the strong currents of overflowing Nullah in Bantalab late Tuesday night, was recovered during the day.
“The ill-fated Tata Mobile bearing registration number JK02DD-4176, being driven by Sham Lal, son of Milkhi Ram, resident of Gurha Brahmana, Bantalab, Jammu, was washed away in an overflowing Nullah in the Bantalab area last night. A couple of hours later, the vehicle was found around 2 km downstream; however, the driver could not be traced. Today, his body was recovered from Akalpur,” SSP Traffic City Jammu stated, and asked people not to attempt such misadventures and stay safe wherever they were.
In Jammu city, three persons were rescued from an old house that collapsed due to heavy rains in the Kali Janni area. The city also registered the collapse of an estate house in Kucha Nahar Singh in Panjtirthi.
Along the Tawi embankments, a multi-agency operation was launched to prevent the breaches near the damaged approach road to the fourth bridge due to flooding in the low-lying areas. Bridge, however, remained closed to traffic for the second day.
Superintendent of Police Ajay Sharma, while speaking to the media, said that the breach would lead to the flooding of low-lying areas near the 4th bridge. Engineering teams of the Army laid large waterproof covers over a major portion of the breach to prevent further water seepage.
Among major city roads, Panjtirthi-Sidhra road and Manda-Nagrota road remained closed due to land and mudslides.
SEVERAL HOUSES DAMAGED IN INUNDATED AKHNOOR
Several houses were damaged in Akhnoor as the surging Chenab inundated villages along its embankments, including Kotli, Hamir, among others. The most affected village was Fattu Kotli in Garkhal.
After relentless efforts, 47 individuals from Fattu Kotli were safely rescued and airlifted in an operation carried out by BSF in synergy with the Army, J&K Police, SDRF, NDRF, and the civil administration. All rescued persons were shifted to the Headquarters of Mollu Battalion of the Army, ensuring their safety and well-being.
The BSF spokesperson said that the rescue mission by the BSF was launched after police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams failed to shift the marooned population of Fattu Kotli owing to the continuous rise in the Chenab River, flowing several feet above its evacuation level.
After making several attempts to establish contact with the trapped civilians, the civil administration requisitioned the BSF for a helicopter to save the precious lives. The BSF responded to the call, and its helicopter made three sorties to successfully evacuate the trapped civilians from the marooned village to a safer location despite continuous rainfall, the spokesperson said.
The Indian Army also assisted in the operation by airlifting people stranded in floods from the border area of Pargwal (Garkhal).
The troops of the Army’s White Knight Corps undertook prompt rescue and relief operations in Dhar Khour and Channi village in Akhnoor. “The rescue columns, in coordination with civilian agencies, evacuated 80-90 civilians, including children, to safety. Among those rescued were two persons in critical condition,” PRO Defence said.
“In order to provide immediate assistance, two medical camps were established by troops of White Knight Corps at Pallanwala and Palatan. Medical support was extended to all evacuees, reinforcing the Indian Army’s commitment to stand by people in every crisis,” he added.
The floods also damaged 40-50 towers of the Akhnoor-Tanda 33 KV line, thus rendering Meira Manderia, Chowki Chora, Gulaba, Sungal besides several other areas powerless.
As per officials, given the extensive damage, it will take 3 to 4 days to restore the power supply. The road near the Kandi tunnel Chowki Choura also suffered damage due to heavy rain, thus disrupting traffic movement on the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway.
The old bridge of Akhnoor was also closed as a precautionary measure due to the rising water level of the Chenab River, and the administration asked the people to take alternate routes. In view of the rising water levels in rivers Tawi, Chenab, and adjoining nallahs due to continuous rainfall, Jammu Police conducted wide-scale public announcements across the district to alert citizens and ensure preparedness. These announcements were documented on video and shared to enhance public awareness and safety.
Police teams from Akhnoor, Khour, Phallian Mandal, R S Pura, Miran Sahib, and adjoining localities carried out loudspeaker-based awareness drives in flood-prone belts. Residents were advised to stay vigilant, avoid unnecessary movement near embankments, and refrain from entering riverbeds or overflowing nallahs.
CONNECTIVITY BADLY DISRUPTED IN REASI DISTRICT
In terms of connectivity, Reasi, besides Udhampur district, was badly affected in rain-induced damages to road infrastructure, with all its major roads blocked.
Vaishnodevi Yatra in Katra remained suspended for the ninth day as the track witnessed a fresh landslide incident at the Sammar Point. Fortunately, there was no casualty. Reasi also recorded the highest rainfall of over 200 mm across the division during the last 24 hours. Katra also registered around 200 mm of rainfall.
In Reasi district, the District Magistrate also imposed restrictions on public movement in and around Bhimgarh Fort. “Due to incessant rainfall, landslides have been reported in and around Bhimgarh Fort. In the interest of public safety, the entry of tourists into the fort is temporarily restricted until further notice,” an Additional District Magistrate Reasi stated in the advisory.
In a related development, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), following directions of its Chairman, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, extended relief to more than 1000 inclement-weather-affected families of nearby villages in the district of Reasi and Udhampur by providing dry ration kits, utensils, blankets, medicines, buckets, tarpaulin, and tents.
In heartening news emanating from Samba district, a 9-month pregnant woman in labour at Ramkot, cut off by floods, was safely evacuated to Military Hospital, Samba.
“Through rain and darkness, the Army troops marched 18 km all night to coordinate evacuation by an Army Aviation Helicopter in inclement weather,” PRO Defence said.
Notably in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts, the devastating August floods have caused extensive damage to the border fence and posts of the Border Security Force (BSF) along the International Border (IB).
