 Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 3: Heavy rains wreaked havoc across Jammu province on Wednesday, triggering flash floods, house collapses, and multiple rescue operations.
While the water level of the river Tawi receded by evening, providing a brief sigh of relief to residents of Jammu city, the mighty Chenab continued to flow above the danger mark in the Akhnoor sector, posing a grave threat to surrounding villages.
Tragedy struck in Rajouri district’s Sunderbani area, where a mother and her daughter were killed after a wall of their house collapsed during the night of September 2–3. Officials said incessant rains caused the wall to give way, trapping the two under debris. Rescue teams and police recovered their bodies soon after. The deceased have been identified as Sita Devi, wife of Rattan Lal, and her daughter Sonia Rattan Lal, residents of Tanda Kangri.
Meanwhile, authorities have urged residents to exercise caution as continuous rainfall has heightened the risk of damage to structures in the area. Several other areas across the region reported incidents of mudslides and road blockages, further crippling normal life.
The most dramatic development of the day came from Akhnoor, where 45 civilians, including women and children, were trapped in their flooded village of Fathu Kotli in Garkhal area.
With the Chenab flowing several feet above its evacuation level of 42 feet, local police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) made repeated but unsuccessful attempts to evacuate the marooned villagers.
Finally, in a daring move, the Border Security Force (BSF) pressed its helicopter into service. Braving torrential rain and adverse conditions, BSF pilots made three sorties, airlifting all 45 trapped civilians to safety. Officials hailed the mission as a “high-risk but life-saving operation,” underscoring the coordination between security forces and civil administration.
In Jammu city, another house collapse was reported in Kali Jhani Mohalla of Pacca Danga, where three people were trapped under debris. Police and local residents carried out a swift rescue operation, successfully evacuating all the trapped individuals.
Jammu-East MLA Yudhvir Sethi urged the Deputy Commissioner to immediately identify and dismantle dilapidated structures in the old city, warning they posed a constant threat during heavy rains. Separately, another building collapse occurred in Jammu’s old city area, though no casualties were reported.
Officials confirmed that many structures weakened by incessant rainfall remain at risk. With major rivers across the province swelling to dangerous levels and reports of fresh landslides pouring in, the administration has sounded a high alert. Disaster management teams remain deployed as rainfall continues across the region, raising fears of more flash floods and structural damage in the coming days. |
