National: Flash floods triggered by relentless rain wreaked havoc across various parts of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district early Saturday morning, leaving at least three people dead and over a hundred others rescued from danger. The disaster unfolded after a cloudburst struck Seri Bagna village, claiming the lives of three individuals, including brothers Aqib Ahmad and Mohd Saqib. Rescue operations are ongoing in the affected areas.
The extreme weather conditions, marked by cloudbursts, high-velocity winds, and hailstorms, caused massive damage to infrastructure and property. Officials confirmed that around 40 houses were damaged in Dharam Kund village alone—10 of them completely destroyed—while several vehicles were swept away due to overflowing streams.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the region’s strategic lifeline, was also severely impacted, with nearly a dozen landslides and mudslides reported between Nashri and Banihal. A stretch of the highway near Panthiyal was completely washed away, prompting authorities to halt vehicular movement from both sides. Hundreds of commuters were stranded along the 250-kilometre route until police and rescue teams evacuated them to safer locations.
These recent fatalities bring the region’s rain-related death toll to five within the last two days. On Friday night, two more people, including a woman, lost their lives and another was injured after being struck by lightning in Reasi district’s Arnas area.
A senior government official stated that the full extent of the damage will be assessed after the situation stabilizes, but for now, the focus remains on saving lives. “We are monitoring the situation and an assessment will be carried out later to provide assistance to the affected population. Our priority at the moment is to safeguard lives,” the official said.
Union Minister and Udhampur MP Jitendra Singh praised the efforts of Ramban Deputy Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary and the district administration for their swift and effective response. “The administration deserves appreciation for timely and prompt action, which helped save several precious lives,” he stated in a post on X. Singh also assured that relief—financial and otherwise—is being extended to all those affected, adding that he is personally ready to offer additional help if needed.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called a high-level meeting later in the day to review the ongoing crisis and coordinate further relief and rehabilitation measures. Meanwhile, the traffic department has urged commuters to avoid traveling on the national highway until conditions improve and the road is cleared of debris.
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