At least 31 were killed and 23 others were injured after landslides, along with flash floods, struck the Mata Vaishno Devi track in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra district in the early hours of Wednesday, August 27. Heavy rains batter the union territory, and officials fear more fatalities as many are still trapped under debris.
Continued heavy rainfall has wreaked havoc on Jammu and Kashmir, triggering flash floods and landslides in several areas. Several instances of infrastructure damage, including bridges, power lines, and mobile towers, were reported.
Flash Floods in Jammu and Kashmir
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast of 5.10 am on Wednesday, widespread thunderstorm with heavy rainfall and possible hail activity (reflectivity above 40 dBZ) is occurring over Jammu, RS Pura, Samba, Akhnoor, Nagrota, Kot Bhalwal, Bishnah, Vijaypur, Purmandal, and parts of Kathua and Udhampur.
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"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," IMD in a post on X.
Jammu recorded highest rainfall on Tuesday with 22 cm between 11.30 am and 5.30 pm within six hours, as per the data. However, rainfall significantly subsided after midnight, bringing some relief.
Earlier, on Tuesday, another landslide struck the shrine route in the afternoon, killing nine people and injuring 21 others. The route to the shrine on Trikuta hill was disrupted.
Meanwhile, more than 3,500 residents were evacuated till Tuesday after continuous heavy rains triggered flash floods and waterlogging across the district. Evacuation and relief efforts are underway with joint teams from the District Administration, J&K Police, NDRF, SDRF, Indian Army and local volunteers.