Torrential rains triggered flash floods that devastated the Doda-Kishtwar highway in Jammu and Kashmir. The disaster occurred in the early hours of Monday, bringing all vehicular traffic to a complete halt. Several vehicles were buried under mud, stones and debris on the road itself.
Continuous overnight rainfall in Doda and Kishtwar districts led to the flash floods. The floodwaters carried large amounts of silt, stones and debris and deposited them on the highway, damaging a section of the road.
In the Premnagar area, several vehicles parked by the roadside got trapped in the debris. However, there have been no reports of any deaths or injuries in the incident.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall also triggered a massive landslide and mudslide in the tunnel area of the under-construction 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Project in Kishtwar district.
The flash floods swept large quantities of mud and boulders into the project area, burying multiple construction vehicles including trucks and dozers under the debris. A significant amount of construction material at the project site was also damaged.
Authorities are continuing rescue operations to retrieve the vehicles buried under debris and to restore normalcy in the area. The administration has also advised commuters not to use the highway until it is reopened.
In addition, small-scale flash floods were reported in the higher reaches of Reasi district.
Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had issued warnings of heavy rain, storms, floods and landslides, urging residents living near rivers and streams to take precautions.
According to the Meteorological Department, Samba recorded the highest rainfall in the Jammu region in the 24 hours till 8:30 AM on Monday, with 90 mm of rain. This was followed by Kathua (66.2 mm), Katra (44.4 mm), Doda (42 mm), Jammu (41.8 mm) and Udhampur (40.6 mm).
