Yogesh
Jammu, Aug 25: The Jammu division is reeling under severe weather conditions Monday, with torrential rainfall of 190.4 mm recorded in Jammu city over the past 24 hours, marking the second-highest August rainfall in a century.
The heavy downpour has triggered flash floods, landslides, and widespread damage across the region, prompting the Directorate of School Education, Jammu, to order the closure of all government and private schools across the division tomorrow, August 26, as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students and staff.
In the recent rains followed by flash floods, a key bridge near Logate Morh on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway in Kathua district sustained severe damage due to the overflow of the Sahar Khad river.
The flooding disrupted connectivity on this vital route, forcing authorities to redirect traffic through an alternate bridge. Repair work is in progress, but the disruption has impacted regional transportation.
Additionally, a culvert near the Jammu bus stand’s old entrance through BC Road collapsed, and a section of the road near Tawi bridge caved in, further complicating mobility in the city.
In a critical rescue effort, approximately 45 students from the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) in Jammu were safely evacuated from their flooded hostel complex.
The ground floor was submerged under more than seven feet of water from an overflowing canal. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local police conducted a five-hour operation using boats to relocate the students to safer accommodations.
Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director of CSIR-IIIM, confirmed that all students are safe, with no casualties reported.
The low-lying areas of Jammu city, including Janipur, Roop Nagar, Talab Tilloo, Jewel Chowk, New Plot, and Sanjay Nagar, have been inundated due to overflowing streams and clogged drains. Several homes reported collapsed boundary walls, and nearly a dozen vehicles were swept away by flash floods.
In outer districts such as Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur, Kathua, and Samba, flash floods and landslides have caused further disruption. In Kathua, nearly half a dozen villages along the old Samba-Kathua road lost connectivity due to flooding in the Sahar River. Major rivers, including Basantar, Ujh, Ravi, Chenab, and Tawi, are flowing above danger levels, prompting heightened vigilance from authorities.
Though the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remains operational, the Mughal Road, connecting Rajouri and Poonch with Shopian, and the Sinthan Road, linking Kishtwar and Doda with Anantnag, have been closed due to landslides. Efforts are underway to clear debris and restore access.
