Heavy Rainfall Halts Vaishno Devi Yatra; Cloudbursts, Landslides and Flood Warnings Hit Jammu & Kashmir Hard

New Delhi (India) August 26: One of the areas most badly impacted due to heavy rainfall is Jammu & Kashmir. In the Doda district, a cloudburst on Tuesday destroys over ten homes and killed four people. The tragedy happens as the whole Jammu region including Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Ramban, and Kishtwar was still under a severe rainfall warning. Similar cloudburst incidents already occur in Kishtwar and Kathua.

Landslide on Vaishno Devi Route

Meanwhile, a landslide in the Reasi region of Jammu and Kashmir kills five people and injures fourteen. This happens when the landslide strikes the path leading to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple. Due to rescue efforts near Inderprastha Bhojnalaya in Adhkuwari, the yatra is stopped.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi is situated in the Reasi district in the Trikuta Mountains, Katra. Traditionally, devotees journey 13 kilometers from Katra to the temple.

Schools Shut and Highways Blocked Amid Red Alert

All public and private schools in Jammu are instructed to close as the situation worsened. Due to many landslides and incidents of stone-throwing, traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is also stopped. 

Officials warn that water levels in rivers and streams could rise significantly overnight. The River Tawi is apparently flooding. A top official advises citizens to stay away from water bodies and landslide-prone areas. He also confirms that a flood alert has been issued for the Jammu area.

The statistics on rainfall for the last 24 hours presents an unfavorable situation. The region's maximum rainfall is 155.6 mm. It is reported in Kathua. Bhaderwah follows with 99.8 mm, Jammu with 81.5 mm, and Katra with 68.8 mm. The second-highest August rainfall in almost a century is recorded in Jammu over the weekend. It is 190.4 mm falling in a single day.

Moderate to heavy showers hit high-altitude regions and southern districts of the Kashmir Valley. The north Kashmir stayed mostly dry and central Kashmir had light to moderate rainfall. Although there is no flood warning for the Jhelum River, authorities expect water levels to rise steadily.

CM Omar Abdullah Reviews Flood Control and Relief Plans

According to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the situation in several areas of Jammu is "quite serious". He plans to personally monitor the situation by flying from Srinagar to Jammu as soon as a flight is available.

He states that the situation in certain areas of the state is extremely critical due to the heavy rainfall. He instructs the government to remain on high alert.

Additionally, Abdullah orders a review of Jammu's flood management systems. According to the CM, instructions have also been given to obtain more funding for deputy commissioners. This is for handling urgent repair projects and other needs.

In the meantime, a number of mountain roads are blocked or destroyed by flash floods or landslides. Traffic on the national highways connecting Jammu, Srinagar, and Kishtwar, Doda is also suspended.