Weather alert issued as heavy rain disrupts life across Jammu region

With heavy rains continuing since late Saturday, the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) remained closed to traffic for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday. Efforts to restore the vital road link were hampered by ongoing rainfall and fresh landslides in multiple areas.

An official from the Traffic Police confirmed that NH-44 would remain closed until the road surface is deemed traffic-worthy. “People are advised not to undertake any journey on the highway,” the official said. On Saturday, traffic had been partially restored, and stranded vehicles were being cleared. However, fresh sinking of land on the upper side of Thard Bridge near Bali Nallah forced another suspension of vehicular movement.

The Batote–Kishtwar section of the national highway also suffered major damage as a portion of the road was washed away following a major landslide.

In Doda district, at least 50 residential structures suffered partial damage due to incessant rainfall. The affected area, Gandoh–Bhalesa, is located in the mountainous terrain of the region. Fortunately, there were no reports of casualties. Local authorities had already issued an alert in view of the worsening weather conditions across the Jammu division.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Doda, Anil Kumar Thakur, conducted a field visit to assess the damage and ensure that timely relief measures were implemented for the affected population.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Centre in Srinagar has issued a weather advisory warning of heavy rain on September 1, and very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across several districts of Jammu division on September 2. The advisory cautions about the potential for cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, and shooting stones in vulnerable areas. “Stay away from water bodies, river embankments, and unstable structures,” the alert warned.

In a dramatic rescue operation, the Army and police in Doda district saved the lives of eight men trapped in the Chenab River during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. A distress call was received at Assar Police Station reporting that a group of individuals had stranded in the middle of the river at Karmail area while using a makeshift wooden raft. The group was caught off guard by rising water levels and poor visibility due to dense fog.

Quick Reaction Teams, along with the State Disaster Response Force, were immediately mobilised with the rescue equipment. Despite low visibility, the teams used high-powered torches and coordinated communication to guide the stranded individuals toward the riverbank through nearby woods. All eight persons were rescued safely. Authorities have launched an inquiry to determine whether the individuals had entered the river to illegally collect timber, which would constitute a violation of existing prohibitory orders.