The heavy and incessant rains that triggered cloudbursts, flash flood, landslide, mudslides and shoot stones in Jammu and Kashmir has killed 40 people, most of them victims of the landslide on a Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route.
The authorities as a precautionary measure have closed all educational institutions in J&K on Thursday.
Massive damage has been reported to public infrastructure, including several key bridges, private houses and commercial establishments, due to overflowing of water bodies and flash floods across Jammu region.
As torrential rains disrupted normal life, Education Minister Sakina Itoo announced that all educational institutes will remain closed across Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday in view of the inclement weather.
The Northern Railways ordered the cancellation of 58 trains to and from Jammu and Katra stations, while 64 trains were short-terminated or short-originated at various stations in the division.
Rail traffic, which was briefly restored on Wednesday morning with six trains departing from Jammu after a day-long suspension, has again been halted due to flash floods and heavy soil erosion in the Chakki river area, the officials said.
The death toll in the Vaishno Devi landslide has gone up to 34 with rescuers pulling out more bodies from under the debris, the officials said.
The disaster had struck the route to the hilltop shrine in Reasi district yesterday.
At least 20 people were injured in the landslide triggered by incessant heavy rain and are undergoing treatment in different hospitals, the officials said.
The landslide struck near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Ardhkuwari, about halfway along the winding 12-km trek from Katra to the shrine, at around 3 PM on Tuesday.
The rescue teams are continuing to dig through the mounds of rubble to look for survivors.
The pilgrimage to the shrine remained suspended for the second day.
While the yatra had been stopped on the Himkoti trek route since morning on Tuesday, it was going on the old route till afternoon when authorities decided to suspend it as a precautionary measure.
Four people, including three women, lost their lives in Doda district on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a BSF spokesman said BSF constable (GD) Rajib Nunia made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty while serving the nation today during operational deployment along the International Boundary in the Akhnoor area of district Jammu.
“He attained martyrdom with unwavering courage, commitment, and dedication. His sacrifice will always be remembered and honoured,” the BSF spokesman said.
Meanwhile, two persons lost their lives due to an electric shock while attempting to save goods from a flooded market in Ganjiwara area near Achabal Adda of Anantnag town today.
Officials said that the incident occurred when the victims came in contact with a live wire while trying to retrieve belongings from inundated shops.
Officials said the flash flood washed away 10 residential houses and a bridge in the remote Margi area of Kishtwar district, but there was no immediate report of any casualties.
The rains continued non-stop in most parts of the Jammu region over the past 24 hours with almost all water bodies, including Tawi, Chenab, Ujh, Ravi and Basanter, flowing several feet above the danger mark, the officials said.
The Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for vehicular traffic, along with over a dozen other roads struck by landslides over the past couple of days.
The water level in most of the water bodies in Jammu has started receding after the rains stopped while it is also expected to recede in Srinagar also.
Meanwhile, according to a notification issued by the Registrar Recruitment, J&K High court, in view of the inclement weather and heavy rainfall, it is hereby notified for information of all the candidates who had to appear in the online CBT Examination for the post of Reader, Level-8 (47600-151800) advertised pursuant to Advertisement Notification No. 02 of 2025/RR/RC dated 26.05.2025, that the examination for the said post which was scheduled to be held on 28.08.2025 in different centers both at Jammu and Srinagar, stands postponed and shall now be conducted on 13.09.2025.
The candidates have been informed to download their admit cards afresh, which shall be made available on the official website of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh w.e.f., 06.09.2025.