Jammu, Aug 24: Shattering decades’ records, torrential rains on Sunday pounded Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts, causing widespread damage to vital infrastructure, including a crucial bridge on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway and public-private properties.

Swollen water bodies flooded the localities and made many roads disappear. Oozing nullahs and seasonal streams found their direct way to houses and other structures in flooded lanes and by-lanes.

Tawi, Ranbir Canal in Jammu; Basantar in Samba and Ujh, Ravi in Kathua were in real fury.

Though the scale of devastation due to heavy rains was extensive, the only consolation was that there were no reports of casualties so far.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Jammu Rakesh Minhas, while responding to Greater Kashmir queries, stated, “Yes, there was damage to roads and other infrastructure at several places. Thankfully, there was no loss of human lives.”

Among major damages to vital infrastructure was the collapse of a crucial bridge on Logate Morh due to flooding of the Sahar Khad nullah in Kathua district, badly disrupting the traffic on this important stretch of Jammu Pathankot National Highway.

Later, the authorities diverted the traffic to an alternate route.

In Jammu district, Jammu city, which recorded the highest single-day rainfall in the last 99 years, and its outskirts saw scary scenes with several localities inundated in several feet of water, leading to the crumbling of several structures.

Unprecedented scenes were witnessed at CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) Jammu hostel complex.

“State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF), along with Jammu and Kashmir Police had to press boats to evacuate around 45 students after the ground floor was inundated by the overflowing canal. All the students have been shifted to a safe place,” Director IIIM Zabeer Ahmed told media persons after the rescue operation, which lasted over five hours.

Waterlogging in low-lying areas of Jammu disrupted normal life while several roads caved in, including the road adjoining the temple on the Tawi bridge. A bridge connecting the Bus Stand to B C Road also suffered extensive damage.

Rain-induced landslides also blocked Samba-Mansar-Udhampur and Jammu-Nagrota roads.

Severe damage to public infrastructure, homes, and essential services left residents in deep distress.

“The calamity resulted in waterlogging, road collapses, and damage to household property, with electricity and water supply disrupted in many localities,” MLA Jammu North Sham Sharma stated while taking stock of localities affected.

He said that most affected areas included Kalika Nagar (Ward 61), Laxmi Vihar Tomal (Ward 61), Kullian Mohalla Nai Basti Lower Muthi (Ward 67), Sharika Vihar Lower Roop Nagar (Ward 66), Lower Shivalikapuram Janipur Colony (Ward 37), Daily Excelsior Lane Old Janipur (Ward 36), Upper Roop Nagar – Chandi Basti near JDA Club (Ward 62), and Dream City (Ward 65).

Low-lying areas in Janipur, Roop Nagar, Talab Tilloo, Jewel Chowk and Sanjay Nagar were inundated, with boundary walls collapsing and vehicles swept away.

In the Jammu outskirts, K N Filling Station and Kabir Colony, Ban Talab, witnessed three to four feet of water inside the houses and people could be seen dewatering manually in vain attempts to save their belongings.

At many places, SDRF teams were engaged in rescue efforts. Parts of Lower Muthi and Shiv Vihar were submerged under eight to nine feet of water. People ran to safety to save their lives as the adjoining nullah’s gushing water entered their houses, causing extensive damage to the houses.

Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Commissioner, Devansh Yadav, while speaking to the media, stated that the dewatering of flooded areas and clearance of mud were being done on priority to restore normalcy.

“Jammu witnessed heavy rains since 4 am, causing large-scale damage in several areas. JMC teams have been on the ground since morning. Teams have been deployed across the city to speed up relief and sanitation measures. Particularly in Janipur, Roop Nagar, and Muthi, many roads also caved in. We are using machines for dewatering at different places and we are working in tandem with the district administration on a war footing,” he said.

Appealing to the people to stay away from rivers and nullahs, he stated that the Ranbir canal was also overflowing, which led to alarming water levels in several nullahs, causing damage to public and private properties.

“We will not rest till dewatering work is completed. We have shared helpline numbers as well. People can call us wherever JCB or dewatering machines are required. Since the scale of rains shattered several decades’ records, it will take some time to assess the exact damage. Once it is done, we will take up the matter with the government,” Yadav said.

In the Samba district, several areas witnessed flooding. Water entered several localities, Mananu, Ward Number 13, and Chak Manga Rakhwal areas were among the severely affected, as houses were inundated in several feet of muddy water, damaging properties worth lakhs.

In Kathua district, later during the day, on the directions of DGP Nalin Parbhat, IGP Jammu Zone Bhim Sen Tuti, Shiv Kumar Sharma, and DIG Jammu Samba Kathua Range conducted a joint inspection, review, planning and restoration of traffic on the National Highway, disrupted due to the collapse of Logate Morh Bridge.

SSP Kathua Shobit Saxena; SSP Traffic Rural Girdhari Lal, and Commandant IRP 18th Atul Sharma were also present during the inspection of the highway and alternative routes identification for traffic restoration on the Jammu Kathua road.

Jammu, Aug 24: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the Centre is making all efforts to provide relief and rehabilitation to those affected by a recent cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district.

Reviewing the situation in the affected Chisoti village via video-conferencing from the Raj Bhawan here, Singh said it is heartening to note that the Union Territory administration, Army, NDRF, SDRF and police have done excellent work during the crisis situation.

Flash floods triggered by the cloudburst struck Chisoti, the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple, on August 14, killing 65 people, mostly pilgrims, and leaving more than 100 injured.

A large-scale search operation is underway for 32 people reported missing by their families after the tragedy. A makeshift market, a langar (community kitchen) site for the annual pilgrimage to the Machail Mata temple, 16 houses and government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-metre-long bridge and more than a dozen vehicles were also damaged in the incident.

“Due to inclement weather, I could not go to the cloudburst affected areas of Kishtwar today. Reviewed the situation at Chisoti from Jammu, via video conferencing facility,” Singh said in a post on X.

The review meeting was attended by Union minister Jitendra Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, senior Army and police officers, among others.

“It is heartening to note that the state administration, Army, NDRF, SDRF, J&K Police have done excellent work during the crisis situation. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the Central Government is leaving no stone unturned in providing relief and rehabilitation to those who have been affected by this tragic incident,” the defence minister said in his post.

​Jammu, Aug 24: Authorities on Sunday ordered closure of government and private schools across the Jammu Division on 25th August in view of inclement weather conditions.

An order issued by Joint Director School Education Jammu reads, “In view of the inclement and bad weather conditions, it is hereby ordered that all government as well as private schools in the Jammu division shall remain closed tomorrow, i.e., 25.08.2025”.

​The move comes as a safety measure to protect students and staff from the inclement weather. The authorities have urged the public to take necessary measures and stay informed about the weather situation.

Jammu, Aug 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very concerned about the recent cloudburst in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday after meeting some of the victims undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital here.

Expressing satisfaction over the treatment of the injured, Rajnath Singh said his plan to visit the cloudburst-hit area could not materialise due to inclement weather and a fresh landslide on the road en route.

The defence minister was accompanied by Union minister and Udhampur MP Jitendra Singh and J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

After landing here from Delhi, the defence minister went straight to the hospital to meet the 16 people undergoing treatment there. He was briefed by a team of doctors on the condition of the patients.

The cloudburst struck Chisoti, the last motorable village en route the Machail Mata temple, on August 14, killing 65 people and injuring over 100. Thirty-two people missing since are yet to be found.

Briefly talking to reporters before leaving the hospital for Raj Bhavan, Rajnath Singh said, “The prime minister is very concerned and is monitoring the situation. I had planned to visit the spot but couldn’t due to inclement weather and a landslide (at Pathernaki)… We are now going to the Raj Bhavan where we will talk to the (affected) people through videoconferencing.”

Lauding the doctors for taking good care of those admitted to the hospital after the incident, the defence minister said the injured people are recuperating satisfactorily.