Three people including two children have died in the flash flood triggered by incessant rains and cloudburst in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir. The flash floods damaged a portion of the Srinagar-Jammu highway, forcing closure of the road for vehicular traffic.
The natural calamity, accompanied by landslides, hailstorms, and fierce winds, caused extensive damage to property and infrastructure, displacing dozens of families.
The water level in a nearby nallah surged dramatically due to relentless rain, turning into a flash flood that swept through Dharamkund village near the Chenab bridge. Many houses were completely destroyed.
Officials said that the National Highway was blocked for vehicular traffic at Panthyal, Seri, and other areas of Ramban district, following heavy rainfall that triggered landslides, flash floods at several places in Ramban District.
They said three persons were killed as a cloud burst wreaks havoc in the remote Dharamkund area of the district.
They said over 100 people were rescued to safer places.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramban, Kulbir Singh, confirmed that three people-including two children-died after a house collapsed in Bagna village due to heavy rainfall.
The deceased were identified as Mohammad Aqib (14), his brother Mohammad Sakib (9), and Mohan Singh (75), all residents of Bagna Panchayat.
The SSP said more than 100 people have been rescued so far and shifted to safer locations.
Two hotels, several shops, and multiple residential structures have suffered damage across the district.
Videos from the site captured the scale of destruction-mud-filled waters gushing through homes, collapsed structures, and vehicles buried under debris. Rescue visuals showed women and children being escorted to safer areas as water levels continued to rise.
“Entire districts have been affected due to the flash flood, and there are also reports of damage to private and public properties, and vehicles have been struck in the blocked roads in the town due to the flash flood,” said an official.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who is a Member of Parliament from Kathua-Udhampur, posted on X, “There was a heavy hailstorm, multiple landslides, and fast winds throughout the night in the Ramban region, including the areas surrounding the Ramban town.”
“The National Highway stands blocked, and unfortunately, there have been 3 casualties and loss of property for a couple of families. I am in constant touch with Deputy Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary,” Dr Singh posted.
“Every kind of relief, both financial and otherwise, is being provided. The DC has been informed that, if need be, whatever more is required can be provided from the MP’s personal resources as well. The request is not to panic. We shall all, together, overcome this natural calamity,” Singh said.
SSP Traffic National Highway (Ramban), Raja Adil Hamid Ganaie, that some light motor and heavy vehicles were damaged after these were hit by landslides, but all the stranded passengers have escaped unharmed.
He said the highway is blocked at five locations including Panthyal, Seri and Kishtwari Pathar due to landslides and shooting stones and once the rains stop, the restoration work will be taken by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO)’s BEACON project.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban Baseer ul Haq said the high-velocity winds and a thunderstorm were followed by heavy rain and a hailstorm at around 1.10 am, causing landslides and flooding at many places.
The district administration, which had already established an emergency control room and sounded an alert in view of adverse weather forecasts by the Met department, made announcements from temples and mosques alerting people about the situation and asking them to contact designated officers in case of any emergency.
Several parts of J&K have been hammered by torrential rain, high-velocity wind, lightning and hail since Saturday evening. Scores of houses, commercial establishments and vehicles have been damaged.
On Saturday, two nomads along with their flock of around 40 sheep were killed in a lightning strike in Reasi district’s Arnas area. They were identified as Mohammad Rashid, 52, and Shahbaz Begum, 32.