Heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides have brought chaos to Jammu, leaving many lives disrupted. Repeated downpours have caused rivers to surge, creating scenes of destruction everywhere—low-lying areas are flooded, several roads and bridges have been washed away. On the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route, a landslide killed 32 people and injured many others.
To assess the condition of the injured, the Sub‑Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Singh Katra, travelled from Kakkariel to Narayan Hospital in the shrine board’s jurisdiction. While there, he declared the compensation for families of those who died. He stated that after the cloudburst on the Vaishno Devi route the following afternoon, many lives were lost and multiple people were wounded. Rescue operations are still ongoing. In accordance with the shrine board’s plan, each relative of the deceased will receive 500,000 rupees, and an additional 400,000 rupees will be granted by the Jammu & Kashmir Disaster Management Department. Hence, every family of a victim is entitled to 900,000 rupees.
Later that week, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Umer Abdullah briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the repetitive rains and resulting floods in Jammu. Mr. Abdullah said he had just spoken with the Prime Minister and informed him of the ongoing situation, expressing gratitude for the deployment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The Prime Minister assured that the central government would provide all possible help to people in Jammu & Kashmir.
Inflows of rain have been decreasing since Wednesday, bringing a degree of relief. Mr. Abdullah noted that the rain had halted, which alleviated some pressure when compared to Tuesday. While water levels in the lower regions are falling, he referenced the damage suffered by the fourth bridge over the Ravi River in Jammu City during the 2014 floods, indicating that the same area faced harm again. He highlighted that there is an unexplained, recurring danger that warrants thorough investigation. Determining why damage occurred both in 2014 and now requires dedicated teams. Precautionary measures must be introduced to avoid future similar incidents. Homes along the riverbanks remain inherently at risk during heavy rains, and corrective action is imperative.
