Heavy rain has caused landslides and flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of three people. The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, which is the main road connecting Kashmir to the rest of India, has been closed due to the damage.
The worst-hit area is Ramban, where many trees have fallen, blocking roads and causing power cuts. A sudden storm with strong winds and heavy rain hit the area on Thursday, which led to flash floods.
Parshottam Gupta, the former Sarpanch of Sateni Panchayat in Udhampur, said the storm caused major damage in the area. “I saw many trees uprooted, and both traffic and electricity were badly affected. We haven’t seen such strong winds in 4-5 years,” he told ANI.
The weather department said the heavy rain was caused by an “active western disturbance” – a common weather pattern that brings rain and snow to the region.
In Ramban’s Dharam Kund village, about 40 houses were damaged, and over 100 villagers had to be rescued by the police.
Landslides and mudslides have happened at several spots between Nashri and Banihal on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Officials say traffic on this key road has been completely stopped for safety reasons.
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The traffic department has advised people not to travel on the highway until the weather gets better and the road is cleared.
