Rain havoc in many states including Jammu and Kashmir, 34 killed in Vaishno Devi Landslide

Jammu/Pathankot/Gurdaspur: Heavy rains and floods have caused severe havoc in many states of North India. In Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the outbreak of nature has completely disturbed life. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Chenab and Tawi rivers are flowing above the danger mark, while the boom of Ravi, Sutlej and Beas rivers in Punjab has caused large-scale damage. However, relief and rescue operations have accelerated due to reduction in rains, the infrastructure damage has increased the challenges.

Rain stopped in Jammu and Kashmir, but the situation is serious

Jammu and Kashmir received record breaking 380 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, the highest in a day since 1910. 629 mm of rain in Udhampur broke the record of 342 mm of 2019. The death toll in landslides on Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra route has increased to 34. The Chenab River is still above the danger mark, while the water level of Tawi river is gradually decreasing.

A BSF camp was hit by flood

Most of the highways and dozens of bridges of Jammu region have been washed away, which has cut several areas. Areas such as Pirkho, Gujjarnagar, RSpura, Nikki Tawi, Bailey Charan, Gurkhanagar, Akhnoor and Pargwal are immersed in flood waters. A BSF camp in Pargwal, Akhnoor was hit by a flood. Local people saved the soldiers by filling the air in the tubes, after which the rescue teams evacuated the rest of the people through the boat. The Jammu-Srinagar highway has broken everywhere and the trucks have been jammed in Ramban.

In Himachal Pradesh too, Asanam has raised a lot of trouble.

Omar Abdullah visited the affected areas

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the affected areas. Taking stock of the fourth bridge on the Tawi river, a part of which collapsed, he said, ‘The same bridge fell in the disaster of 2014. We have to take a lesson from the past and plan a future. The administration has taken over 5,000 people to safe places. Army, NDRF and SDRF are engaged in restoring electricity, water and mobile services.

Ravi’s boom in Punjab caused havoc

Flood water coming from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh is now wreaking havoc in Punjab. The water level of Ravi, Sutlej and Beas rivers has reached dangerous levels. The situation has worsened due to release of water from Pong, Bhakhara and Ranjit Sagar Dam. There are flood -like conditions in Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Hoshiarpur. The boom of the Ravi river in Pathankot submerged the Jammu-Pathankot highway, which stopped the movement of heavy vehicles.

Heavy destruction in areas on Kathua, Punjab border

The low -lying areas of Pathankot are flooded to the knees. The administration has opened 2 relief camps and started the work of evacuating people from low -lying areas. The areas along the Kathua and Punjab borders have caused heavy destruction. A CRPF camp and several houses in Madhopur were hit by floods. Army helicopters rescued 22 CRPF jawans and 3 citizens in the rescue operation which started at 6 am. The building from which they were evacuated, merged into the river only two minutes after the rescue.

Relief and rescue operations are in full swing.

Children removed from school through boat

400 children, 70 teachers and staff were trapped due to flood water entering Navodaya Vidyalaya in Gurdaspur. The ground floor of the school drowned at 5 am. The police and administration immediately started the rescue operation via boat and took out everyone safely. Many villages drowned near the Kartarpur corridor due to the breakdown of the Dhusi dam in Dera Baba Nanak. Dozens of houses collapsed and thousands of acres of crops were destroyed.

Chinook and Mi-17 installed in helicopter rescue

C-130 and IL-76 aircraft are being used to deliver relief materials to flood affected areas. NDRF teams from Delhi have reached Jammu with relief material. Chinook and Mi-17 are engaged in the helicopter rescue operation. Helicopters are the only support due to drowning of roads.

Rail traffic stalled, all roads reaching Jammu closed

All the routes reaching Jammu are closed. Rail traffic is also completely stalled. A passenger train between Jammu and Katra stood on the track for 24 hours. The track and road were damaged due to falling boulder in front of Swaraj Express. After 27 hours, the track was cleaned and the train was sent to Katra. Northern Railway canceled 45 trains and short terminated at 25. Passengers trapped in Katra are facing the problem of lack of food and drink. (Input: Rahi Kapoor)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-0xdvlp69k