JAMMU, July 21: Heavy rains continued to lash large parts of the Jammu region on Tuesday, disrupting normal life, triggering landslides and flash floods, and prompting authorities to maintain the highest level of alert across vulnerable areas.
At least 23 people have lost their lives, while seven others remain missing in rain-related incidents across the Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts since Sunday, officials said.
All major pilgrimages in the region, including the Shri Amarnath Yatra, Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, Shiv Khori Yatra and Machail Mata Yatra, remained suspended for the third consecutive day due to persistent rainfall, landslides and the heightened risk of flash floods.
Authorities said the situation is being monitored round-the-clock, with district administrations, disaster response teams, police and other agencies remaining on high alert in vulnerable areas.
Pilgrims have been advised to stay at designated shelters until weather conditions improve and the pilgrimage routes are declared safe.
Despite adverse weather conditions, rescue teams continued search operations for the seven missing persons in the worst-affected districts of Poonch and Rajouri, where cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides have caused widespread devastation over the past three days.
According to the Meteorological Department, Katra, the base camp for the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, recorded the highest rainfall in the region, receiving 107.1 mm during the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Other rainfall figures included Poonch (61.5 mm), Reasi (54.5 mm), Rajouri (49 mm) and Jammu (35 mm) during the same period.
Officials said several highways, roads and link roads remained blocked or partially affected due to landslides and shooting stones, while waterlogging disrupted traffic movement in both urban and rural areas. Restoration work is underway, but continuous rainfall has hampered efforts to clear debris and reopen affected routes.
With the Meteorological Department forecasting moderate to heavy rainfall until July 23, authorities have urged residents to exercise extreme caution, avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from rivers, nallahs, water bodies and landslide-prone areas.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has chaired back-to-back high-level review meetings over the past two days to assess the flood situation, restoration efforts and relief measures across the Union Territory.
Reiterating that the safety and well-being of the people remain the government’s highest priority, the Chief Minister directed the administration to act proactively, efficiently and with empathy. He stressed the need for speedy restoration of essential services, timely relief for affected families and effective preparedness to deal with any further weather-related challenges SNA.
