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Watch: Moment Jammu bridge collapsed, trapped moving SUV amid heavy rain
A video is going viral online, showing a portion of the road on the bridge caving in, trapping a moving SUV, and leaving several vehicles stranded on the road.
Amid the heavy rainfall in Jammu, a portion of the road caved near the fourth Tawi bridge in Jammu due to the swelling waterbodies and continuous downpour.
A video of the incident also surfaced online which captured the moment a portion of the road on the bridge caved in, trapping a moving SUV, and leaving several vehicles stranded on the road. In the video, people can be heard clamouring and yelling for people near the collapsing site to reach a safe location.
The bridge in the video has been identified as the Fourth Bridge, constructed over the Tawi River in Jammu.
News agency PTI also shared visuals from after the bridge collapsed, in which cars can be seen sinking under the broken bridge. In the back, river Tawi can be seen flowing rapidly, triggered by the incessant rainfall in the area.
Continuous rainfall in the region has led to rising water levels in the rivers. Talking to ANI, Kathua DC, Rajesh Sharma said, “...It has been raining incessantly here for the last 36 hours...Due to this, the water level has risen in all the rivers, and they are flowing at the danger mark. As a precautionary measure, I spoke with the School Education Director yesterday and he issued an order to close schools...Our field staff are on the ground and alerting people.”
Meanwhile, the road connecting the fourth Tawi Bridge with Bikram Chowk also washed away as the swollen Tawi river wreaks havoc in the region. Hundreds of people were evacuated Tuesday from the banks of several flooded rivers and inundated low-lying areas in Jammu and Samba districts. The Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF and local administration have launched massive operations to respond to distress calls.
A rescue operation is still continuing along the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine route near Adhkuwari, where a landslide struck on Tuesday, killing nine pilgrims and injuring 21 others, officials said.
