Jammu weather highlights: 13 dead, rescue ops on; all schools shut tomorrow

Jammu weather LIVE updates: Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda mourned the death of those lost their lives in landslide on Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route.

“The news of several people being killed in a landslide caused by heavy rains on the Vaishno Devi Yatra route in Jammu and Kashmir is extremely heartbreaking. The local administration, NDRF teams, and BJP workers are wholeheartedly engaged in relief and rescue operations. In this hour of grief, my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he wrote on X.

Of the 22 cancelled, nine trains are from Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, and one from Jammu, officials said.

The remaining trains were scheduled to arrive at Katra, Jammu and Udhampur stations.

Train services have also been suspended from Pathankot to Kandrori in Himachal Pradesh due to heavy soil erosion and flash floods at the Chakki River on Tuesday.

Twenty-seven trains were short-terminated at Firozpur, Manda and Chak Rakhwalan, and Pathankot, they said.

Train operations, however, continue on the Katra-Srinagar stretch, they said. (PTI)

Jammu weather LIVE updates: Twenty two trains either halting at or departing from Jammu or Katra railway stations have been cancelled for Wednesday by the Northern Railways Around 27 trains have been short-terminated as rain traffic is hit by severe rain lashing in Jammu region.

"Twenty-seven trains have been short-terminated on Tuesday. This has been done in view of the prevailing weather conditions in the region," Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Northern Railway, Jammu Division, said.

Community kitchens at Jammu and Kashmir areas such as Muthi and Satwari are providing food, while medical teams are stationed at all major relief sites, PTI reported citing an official. The restoration of power, water supply, and road connectivity is being taken up on priority, with Tehsildar Nagrota overseeing debris clearance on highways.

In a swift multi-agency operation led by the Jammu District Administration, more than 3,500 residents have been evacuated to safety following incessant rains that triggered flash floods and waterlogging across the city on Tuesday, an official said.

Teams from the district administration, police, NDRF, SDRF, Indian Army, and local volunteers are undertaking evacuation and relief operations in the worst-hit areas while authorities are also focused on restoring critical infrastructure and essential services, he said. (PTI)

Jammu weather LIVE updates: Additional Deputy Commissioner of Pathankot Hardeep Singh said that due to continuous rains in Jammu and Kashmir, the water level in Pathankot has increased.

“We have identified Radha Swami Satsang Beas in Pathankot as an evacuation centre. We will shift people to this evacuation centre, and proper arrangements for food are also being made... We are coordinating with the Jammu and Kashmir authorities regarding the water level...” he told ANI.

Jammu weather LIVE updates: Rivers overflowed, the raging waters flattening everything in their way, and boulders, trees and rocks hurtled down slopes across Jammu region on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people, including nine pilgrims struck by a landslide on the Vaishno Devi route.

Relentless heavy rain led to havoc not just in Jammu, which saw flashfloods, landslides and the pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi shrine being suspended, but also in Kashmir Valley. Infrastructure was severely damaged with bridges collapsing and mobile towers and electricity poles breaking like virtual twigs. (PTI)

After the landslide on the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine route, a helpline desk has been established for assistance and updates on the incident. The helpline numbers are: ‪+91 9906019460‬/ +91 9906019446‬

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday called the landslide on the route to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu “extremely heartbreaking”.

“The unfortunate accident caused by a landslide due to heavy rains on the Vaishno Devi Yatra route in Jammu and Kashmir is extremely heartbreaking and heart-rending. My condolences are with the bereaved families,” Adityanath said. “I pray to Mata Vaishno Devi to grant eternal peace to the departed souls, strength to the grieving families to bear this immense sorrow, and a speedy recovery to the injured,” the UP CM posted on X.

The railways contacted stranded passengers at railway stations across Jammu division, taking measures to provide food and lodging facilities amid heavy rains in Jammu. “Multiple steps have been taken by Railways in such prevailing conditions to provide facilitation to stranded passengers at railway stations,” PTI quoted a senior railway official as saying.

Earlier today, the Northern Railways cancelled 18 trains as a precautionary measure, including the Katra-New Delhi Vande Bharat.

After a major landslide struck on the route to the Vaishno Devi yatra, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) on Tuesday asked intending pilgrims to replan their pilgrimage to the holy shrine atop the Trikuta hill in Reasi district's Katra.

"In view of recent incessant rain and inclement weather, all the yatris are hereby advised to replan their yatra to the shrine once the weather improves," the board said in a post on X.

The shrine board also announced a helpline desk, "In view of the landslide incident at Adhkuwari, a dedicated Helpline Desk has been established at Niharika. May contact for the updates. Call/WhatsApp: 9906019460/9906019446."

As the water level of the Yamuna River rose in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi, the ground and first floors of several hotels and houses were submerged in water.

The water also reached the bridge connecting Barkot and Yamunotri.

After facing flak for being out of state amid flood fury and heavy rainfall, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann will visit the affected area of Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district on Wednesday.

Authorities in Jammu imposed restrictions on people's movement during night hours as a precautionary measure amid incessant rainfall, an official order said on Tuesday.

District Magistrate, Jammu, Rakesh Minhas issued the order under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

"In view of the incessant rains, weather alerts and prevailing circumstances, it has become necessary to restrict movement during the night hours to prevent any untoward incidents," Minhas said.

He ordered restriction on night movement from 8 pm on Tuesday to 8 am of Wednesday without any valid reasons or prior permission from the relevant authority, except those engaged in essential services.

The Railway staff and police served food to passengers stranded at Udhampur's Manwal railway station due to incessant rainfall.

Pantry of 12472 - Swaraj Express prepared food for passengers stranded at Jammu's Sangar railway station due to torrential rainfall wreaking havoc across the Union Territory.

• Heavy rain in the Jammu region disrupted normal traffic movement, resulting in the closure of several inter-district roads and Jammu-Pathankot and Jammu-Srinagar national highways.
• Traffic on Jammu-Pathankot national highway was suspended near Vijaypur in Samba after a pillar of the bridge on the Devak river collapsed.
• Movement of heavy motor vehicles on the Jammu-Pathankot highway was stopped from both directions due to heavy flow of water in the Basanter Khad, Iarnah Khad, Ujh river and Sahar Khad.
• The main Bikram Chowk-Dogra Chowk bridge and the Fourth bridge in Jammu city were closed on Monday evening after the Tawi river began flowing in spate.
• The Bani-Basohli road was closed at Sukha Nallah, the Basohli-Mabanru road at Dhani, the Mahappur-Kathua road at Peddy Nallah, and the Qiala Chak-Ramkote road near Kali Mata Mandir in Galak.
• Officials said the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road was also closed for vehicular traffic due to a landslide near Bajri Nallah.

The death toll in the landslide that struck on the route to the Mata Shri Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi's Katra went up to 7.

Water levels of the Basantar, Tawi and Chenab Rivers are currently at the alert mark, with the India Meteorological Department predicting very heavy rainfall in the Jammu division over the next 40 hours.

The Jammu and Kashmir government ordered the closure of all educational institutions and offices, except essential services and law and order departments, amid torrential downpour in the region.

Continuous rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh has triggered the overflowing of rivers, such as Beas, Ravi, Satluj, and Ujh, leading to severe flooding across several districts in Punjab.

Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Fazilka, Tarn Taran, and Firozpur are all under flood danger.

The Punjab administration, in coordination with the police, is actively engaged in relief operations, Special Director General of Police (DGP) Arpit Shukla was cited as saying by news agency ANI.

Union home minister Amit Shah spoke to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and LG Manoj Sinha and took stock of the situation in the region, inquiring about the landslide that struck on the route to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.

"The landslide incident caused by heavy rains on the Vaishno Devi Yatra route in Jammu and Kashmir is extremely tragic. I have spoken to Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Omar Abdullah ji, and Lieutenant Governor, Shri Manoj Sinha ji in this regard. The local administration is engaged in relief and rescue operations to assist the injured, and the NDRF team is also reaching there," Shah wrote on X in Hindi.

Four rescue columns were deployed at different locations in Jammu:

• Garhi Garh, RS Pura Sector: Seven civilians, including one child, were rescued. Operation completed.
• Shergarh, RS Pura Sector: Around 10–12 civilians trapped inside a building are being rescued.
• Sher-e-Kashmir University, Jammu: Rescue efforts are underway to evacuate students stranded inside a university building.
• Swahanjana: Rescue column is working to evacuate students trapped at a Government School.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed deep distress after at least six people lost their lives and over 14 others were injured in a landslide that hit on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi's Katra.

"Deeply distressed to know that an unfortunate landslide triggered by incessant rain claimed lives of devotees at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. My condolences to the bereaved families & I pray that the injured recover quickly. Directed officials to provide immediate assistance," he said in a statement.

The Indian Army launched extensive Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in flood-hit areas of the Jammu region, deploying multiple rescue columns and helicopters to evacuate stranded individuals.