Rain triggers flood alert in Jammu

Vaishno Devi, Amarnath yatras suspended following landslides

A flood alert has been sounded in Jammu where heavy rain left three dead and several injured while four more deaths were reported from Bihar where the deluge has claimed 95 lives so far.

River Tawi continues to flow above the danger mark in Jammu. The Vaishno Devi and the Amarnath yatras have been suspended following landslides triggered by heavy rain in the state.

The flood situation in Assam, where 34 people have died so far, improved on Sunday though the Brahmaputra’s tributary Dhansiri is flowing above the danger mark at Numaligarh in Gola.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places of Rajasthan with Kota district recording a maximum of 19 cm followed by Aklera in Jhalawar where 16 cm rain occurred. Punjab and Haryana too received heavy showers.

Light rainfall was recorded in parts of the national capital with the humidity level settling at 80%, causing discomfort to people.

“The minimum temperature stood at 26.4 degrees Celsius while the maximum is expected to be 35 degrees Celsius,” a MeT Department official said.

Overnight rainfall in Jammu has wreaked havoc in most parts of the region.

One Fatay Chand was killed when his house collapsed in Parladpur in Mandal belt of Jammu region due to the incessant rainfall. In Doda district, one Dost Mohammed was killed and four others were injured when their house collapsed.

A 10-year-old boy, injured on Saturday on the way to the Vaishno Devi shrine succumbed to injuries, taking the toll in the mishaps due to inclement weather to five.

Railway traffic on the Jammu Udhampur railway line was also affected as landslides blocked the track at several places near Ramnagar station in the district.

“Due to heavy rainfall, there are flash floods in the rivers in Jammu. Alert has been sounded,” Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Simrandeep Singh said.

River Tawi is flowing at a danger level of 18-feet and river Chenab is flowing 33-feet above the alert level, he said.

Reports of house collapse due to heavy rainfall are also pouring in from other districts of Jammu region as well.

The heavy rainfall triggered massive landslides that briefly blocked the Jammu Srinagar National Highway, which was later opened for vehicular traffic. The flood situation in Bihar remained critical with 33 lakh people affected in 14 districts while four more deaths were reported in Katihar district, the Disaster Management Department said.