Torrential rains have triggered deadly flash floods and landslides across India-administered Jammu and Kashmir, leaving at least 36 people dead and 20 others injured, officials confirmed Wednesday.
Rising river levels have swept away bridges, roads, and property throughout the Himalayan region, as authorities warned of further devastation amid the heaviest downpour in decades.
The death toll from Tuesday’s landslide along the Hindu pilgrimage route to Vaishno Devi rose to over 30 on Wednesday, adding to the mounting casualties. Just days earlier, on 14 August, floods destroyed a pilgrim camp in Kishtwar district, killing at least 65 people, with many still missing.
Since Tuesday, at least 37 fatalities have been reported in Reasi and Doda districts.
The region’s Flood Control Department has declared a flood risk for the Jhelum River in Kashmir Valley, urging residents to stay away from riverbanks and relocate to safer areas. Schools, businesses, and workplaces remain closed as floodwaters submerged roads and crippled daily life.
“More than 3,500 people have been evacuated to safer places so far,” an official said.
Images from the ground showed residents stranded, including a woman perched on top of a mud-covered car by the overflowing Tawi River in Jammu, while others picked through flood debris near their homes.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited disaster-hit areas on Wednesday and briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the worsening situation. Comparing the devastation to the catastrophic 2014 floods, Abdullah criticized the lack of preparedness.
“What lessons have we learned from the 2014 floods? What corrective steps have been taken in the past 11 years?” he asked in a post on social media platform X.
Indian Army helicopters have been deployed for rescue and relief operations in Punjab and Jammu. Nationwide, heavy rains and floods have wreaked havoc across multiple states, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, causing widespread damage to infrastructure and property.
Air and rail services have also been disrupted. IndiGo Airlines announced delays in Leh, citing unsafe flying conditions, while Indian Railways canceled 18 trains serving Katra, Udhampur, and Jammu. Some services have since resumed.
Telecommunications operators reported partial restoration of mobile and internet services after fiber optic lines were damaged by the downpour. Recovery and repair work is still underway.
