Traffic, relief operations hit as heavy rain causes landslides across Jammu

Heavy rainfall early on Wednesday triggered landslides and flash floods across parts of the Jammu division, disrupting traffic on key routes. Areas of Kishtwar, already reeling from last week’s deadly cloudburst, were also cut off from the rest of the Union Territory.

In Kishtwar’s Mughal Maidan area of Chatroo sub-division, a landslide blocked the road. District police teams reached the spot and launched immediate rescue operations. While no casualties were reported, several roadside vehicles were damaged before the stretch was cleared and traffic restored.

Traffic was also disrupted on the vital Jammu–Srinagar National Highway after a landslide near the Nandni tunnel. The boulders were removed and the road reopened. The Mughal Road, connecting Rajouri and Poonch with the Valley, however, remained shut due to multiple slides, leaving several vehicles stranded at Pir Ki Gali.

In Reasi district, heavy rainfall damaged the Badora Nallah segment of the Budhal–Mahore–Gool road. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) teams initiated repairs, but traffic remained suspended.

Relief work at Chositi village in Kishtwar, where 64 bodies have been recovered since the August 14 cloudburst, was also hampered by the fresh downpour. Multiple agencies continue to search for those still missing.

In Jammu city, torrential rain turned a stretch of the highway near Ban toll plaza into a river-like flow, bringing vehicles to a standstill and causing major inconvenience. The upper wall of a school in Dogra Hall area collapsed, though no injuries were reported as the school had not yet opened for the day. Officials said many rivers and streams, including the Chenab, Tawi, Ujh and Basantar were flowing in spate, inundating low-lying areas.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Centre, Srinagar, has issued an advisory for cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides between August 23 and 26 in vulnerable areas. “Light to moderate rain/thunderstorm at many places with heavy rain at a few places of Jammu, Reasi, Udhampur, Kathua, Samba and Rajouri,” the advisory said. The warning also extends to Anantnag and Kulgam in the Valley.

From August 27 to 30, the weather is expected to turn hot and humid with brief spells of rain or thunder at isolated places.