Roadblocks, red alert as rain lashes three north-western Himalayan states

The Amarnath Yatra from Jammu remained suspended due to inclement weather for the second day in a row due to heavy rains that triggered landslides and mudslides and washed away a stretch of road on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district

Hundreds of roads have been blocked in the past 24 hours as incessant rains continued to lash the three north-western Himalayan states, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting more rainfall for the next two days.

Visitors out in the rain at the Ridge in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh (File Photo)

Heavy rains have hit the region for the past four days disrupting daily life. Power disruptions in many areas were also witnessed, officials said.

The Amarnath Yatra from Jammu remained suspended due to inclement weather for the second day in a row due to heavy rains that triggered landslides and mudslides and washed away a stretch of road on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district.

“The yatra was suspended from Yatri Niwas base camp in Bhagwati Nagar here on Saturday morning also due to inclement weather,” said a senior police officer.

The vehicular traffic between Jammu and Kashmir on the national highway (NH44) was suspended since early hours on Saturday due to the landslides, slush and shooting stones in the Mehad area, Seri and near Tunnel 1 and Tunnel 2 in the Marog area of Ramban district, said senior superintendent of police (SSP) Traffic, National Highway, Rohit Baskotra.

The SSP said that the Jammu and Srinagar bound traffic has been stopped at Nagrota, Jakheni Udhampur and Quazigund.

“Some of the LMVs have been sent back where from they had come while others are kept in Yatri Niwas and other lodgement centres in Chanderkot or community kitchens en route the highway,” he added.

Mughal Road and Srinagar-Sonmarg Road is also blocked due to landslides, the SSP said, adding people are advised not to travel on these roads without checking their status.

In Poonch, the army started search operations to look for the two soldiers, who were feared drowned in a river in the Surankote area, said Poonch SSP Vinay Kumar.

In Uttarakhand, over 165 roads were blocked due to landslide and boulder fall and water levels rose in major rivers, including Ganga, Yamuna, and Bhagirathi flowing near warning level marks. Traffic to both Badrinath and Kedarnath was stopped because of landslides and massive damage to connecting roads, officials said.

IMD Dehradun has issued a yellow alert, forecasting heavy rainfall likely to occur accompanied by lightning and thunder at isolated places in Nainital, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar, Bageshwar, Dehradun and Haridwar districts for the next three days.

Further, the district administrations have directed all subordinate officials to remain alert to any eventuality and work in a coordinated manner.

In Himachal, a red alert has been issued for seven districts, including Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi, amid heavy rainfall on Saturday. A red alert has also been issued for Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur, and a yellow alert for the tribal Lahaul and Spiti districts. As many as 160 main and lateral roads across the state are closed due to heavy rains.

A release issued by the disaster management department on Saturday afternoon stated that rains could lead to disruption of power and communication facilities in low and mid-hill districts of the state in view of expected thunderstorm lightning and localised flooding of roads.

Tourist station Kasauli has been struck by a landslide, leading to the collapse of a building. Two other buildings are said to be at risk due to the landslide.

Kimmughat-Chakki Mor Road, a vital transportation route in the region, has been forced to shut down due to the landslides. The unstable ground and debris have made the road impassable, compounding the difficulties faced by residents and travellers alike.

Kalka-Shimla National Highway 5 has also been severely affected by the natural disaster. Numerous sections of the road have been inundated with stones and debris as heavy rains continue to lash the area. As a result, several parts of the hilly lane have been closed off, disrupting transportation and causing inconvenience for commuters, officials said.

Many areas, including Dadahu in Sirmaur district, received more than 90 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours, they said.