Heavy Floods Hit Jammu and Kashmir: Rivers Overflow and Disruptions Continue
Jammu and Kashmir are facing severe flooding as rivers and streams flow above dangerous levels. On Wednesday, almost all major rivers, including the Chenab, Tawi, Ravi, Ujh, Vishow, and Sindh, exceeded flood marks, causing worries across the region.
In Jammu, the Chenab, Tawi, Ravi, Basantar, and Ujh rivers were flowing above their flood levels by 1 p.m. Meanwhile, in Kashmir, streams like the Jhelum, Vishow, Lidder, and Sheshnag were also reaching dangerous heights. The Jhelum River was close to flooding at Sangam in Anantnag district, and near Srinagar’s Ram Munshi Bagh, it was just a foot below the flood level.
Floodwaters have caused damage to some bridges in both South and North Kashmir. Villages in the Akhnoor area of Jammu district have been inundated by the Chenab River, and officials are warning residents to stay away from the Tawi River, which is overflowing in Jammu city.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a meeting to review the worsening flood situation. He instructed authorities to work quickly to clear waterlogged areas, protect essential services, evacuate people from critical zones, and provide immediate relief. Officials briefed him on the situation, with ministers Javed Rana and Satish Sharma sharing updates from Jammu, and Health Minister Sakina Itoo along with advisor Nasir Sogami giving reports from Kashmir.
The Chief Minister asked people to follow safety advisories and stay away from vulnerable areas. Meanwhile, key roads like the Srinagar-Jammu highway, Mughal Road, and Sinthan Pass remained closed, leading to panic buying of essentials in the valley.
Floods and heavy rains have also disrupted train services in the Jammu region. The Pathankot-Jammu railway line has suffered extensive damage, and now 68 trains are canceled until September 30. About 24 train services are gradually restarting, including special shuttle trains between Jammu and Katra to help stranded passengers and pilgrims.
Railway officials reported that the trains have been affected for the past eight days, leaving many people, including devotees heading to Vaishno Devi shrine, stranded. To assist those stuck, special shuttle services are running daily between Jammu Tawi and Katra. Some long-distance trains like the Jammu Tawi-Kolkata and Katra-New Delhi routes are back in operation.
So far, nearly 5,800 passengers have been rescued and transported in special trains. However, experts say it may take weeks to fully restore normal train services because of the extensive damage caused by the floods.
In response to the flood emergency, authorities have closed schools and colleges across Jammu and Kashmir for the day. The Meteorological Department has forecast some relief, expecting the weather to gradually improve from this evening.
Stay tuned for more updates on the flood situation in Jammu and Kashmir and important safety tips to stay safe during heavy rains and floods.
