Vaishno Devi Landslide: 30 Dead In Landslide After Heavy Rainfall, Jammu & Kashmir Under Red alert
Entire Jammu is under a red alert, warning of very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, squalls...
Death Toll Vaishno Devi Landslide In Jammu And Kashmir Latest News: 30 people have lost their lives after heavy rains triggered a landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra, SSP Reasi Paramvir Singh confirmed to ANI.
The incident occurred around 3 pm on Tuesday at Adhkuwari, en route to the pilgrimage. Incessant rainfall lashed Jammu and Kashmir for the past few days, leading to bridge collapses, swollen rivers, landslides, roads washed away, trains cancelled, houses swept away and many road blocks.
Thousands living along the riverbanks in low-lying areas have been evacuated from Tawi, Chenab, and Jhelum, which are flowing over danger levels.
Devotees from other states are trapped in Jammu and Kashmir after the trains were cancelled.
A devotee at Vaishno Devi, Katra, Rajkumari Devi, told, "I am from Motihari, Bihar. We have here a day before yesterday. We had the 'Darshan'. Now, we want to go home, but we are not able to as the trains are cancelled. A huge mishap has occurred. We are scared and want to go home..."
Another devotee at Vaishno Devi, Katra, Dashrath said, “I am from Champaran, Bihar... The trains have shut down. We are facing issues with reaching Bihar. We heard that a huge mishap had happened after we had 'Darshan' and returned... We are trapped here due to the rain... We had tickets, but the trains have shut down..."
Areas in the foothills and hilly terrain will continue to experience rainfall, the India Meteorological Department said in its latest updates.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) in a post on X at around 7 am today, said "Jammu DWR Imagery at 0510 hours indicates widespread thunderstorm activity across the region. Severe convection, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, and possible hail (reflectivity above 40 dBZ), is occurring over Jammu, RS Pura, Samba, Akhnoor, Nagrota, Kot Bhalwal, Bishnah, Vijaypur, Purmandal, and parts of Kathua and Udhampur. Moderate convection, indicating light to moderate rainfall (reflectivity above 20 dBZ), is affecting Reasi, Ramban, Doda, Billawar, Katra, Ramnagar, Hiranagar, Gool, Banihal, and the surrounding areas of Samba and Kathua districts. Vertical profiles show cloud tops reaching up to 12 km, pointing to deep and active thunderstorms. The system is generally moving east-northeastward, and areas in the foothills and hilly terrain may continue to experience rainfall."
The road near the fourth Tawi bridge has also been washed away.
IMD has urged residents to stay indoors during thunderstorms, avoid low-lying and waterlogged areas, and follow official advisories for safety.
Updates On The Flood Situation In J&K:
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, on Wednesday morning, was updated on the flood situation in J&K by the Divisional Commissioner Jamm,u Ramesh Kumar.
DC Ramesh Kumar is in constant touch with Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, and the DC is currently convening a meeting of officers from different departments.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh shared the updates in a post on X:
1. The entire Jammu division, barring Poonch and Rajouri districts, is still having rain, though of a lesser intensity.
2. The level of the river Tawi has receded, but the river Chenab continues to flow close to the danger mark.
3. The immediate priority is restoration of electricity, water supply and mobile services, for which the authorities have been working continuously overnight.
4. SDRF, NDRF, Paramilitary, Army, and Air Force authorities are closely coordinating with the civil administration.
5. Schools and colleges have been ordered to remain closed, and the general public is advised to refrain from non-essential movement for their safety.
6. Among the damaged structures is the historic Madhopur bridge, which became a part of history when Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee was arrested in the middle of this bridge on 11 May 1953. Movement of traffic on this bridge has been stopped from around 3 am this morning.
7. The appeal to the public is that, without being panicky, let all of us cooperate among ourselves and with the authorities.
Union Minister Singh added that PM Modi is personally following up on the situation and receiving updates.
The JK administration has issued Helpline telephone numbers for each district.
Jammu and Kashmir Weather Forecast August 27:
Entire Jammu is under a red alert, warning of very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, squalls and more adverse weather conditions, according to the latest updates by IMD Srinagar.
Meanwhile, Kashmir has been issued an orange alert with heavy rainfall predicted for today in the region.
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