News Desk – At least 41 people, most of them Vaishno Devi pilgrims, lost their lives in Jammu’s Reasi and Doda districts between Tuesday and Wednesday after the region recorded its heaviest 24-hour rainfall since 1910.
The worst hit was near Adhkunwari on the Vaishno Devi route, where a cloudburst killed 34 pilgrims. Four more people died in Doda district due to flash floods, and three others died in separate rain-related incidents.
The tragedy struck on Tuesday afternoon when a cloudburst hit devotees at Ardhkuwari. The yatra was suspended, but heavy rains and landslides continued to pose risks. Pilgrims on the old route were stopped at 1:30 pm after earlier restrictions on the Himkoti route.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha called it a “heart-wrenching calamity” and announced ₹9 lakh ex gratia to the families of the deceased. J&K CM Omar Abdullah questioned why pilgrims weren’t stopped despite advance weather warnings.
Jammu recorded 380 mm of rain in just 24 hours breaking the previous 270.4 mm record set in 1988. Continuous rain caused landslides and flooding, damaging infrastructure, including a bridge on the Tawi River.
Over 5,000 people were rescued from flooded areas by the NDRF, SDRF, police, and Army, using boats. The Indian Army Aviation airlifted 22 CRPF personnel and three civilians stranded near Madhopur Headworks.
In Srinagar, the Jhelum River neared danger levels, prompting high alert. Schools and colleges across the Valley will remain closed, and internet and telecom services were disrupted after damage to fibre cables.
Vehicular movement on the Jammu-Pathankot, Jammu-Srinagar, and Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highways was suspended after landslides and flash floods damaged stretches of the road.
This disaster has left the UT battling loss of life, destruction of property, and widespread disruption, as rescue and relief operations continue.
