Over 500 rescued as flash floods and landslides cut Ramban from rest of J&K

Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, who visited Ramban during the day, said 12 villages – including Seri, Banga, Panote and Khari — have suffered “varying degrees” of damage.

“Our teams are on the ground to make a complete assessment of the damage so that relief is provided to the affected families,” Kumar, who visited the affected villages along with Ramban Deputy Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary, said. “Road services will take some time to restore. We have to check the cracks for stability and also re-construct the retaining walls which have been damaged.”

Meanwhile, landslides buried National Highway 44 and several link roads, with authorities scrambling to restore road connection. Significantly, National Highway-44 is the key road that connects Ramban to Kashmir and is essential to bringing essential items, including fuel, into the Valley.

The damage to roads prompted several people to walk to their destinations. Among them was Chief Minister Oma Abdullah who walked nearly 6 km Monday evening to reach Ramban, where he was meant to oversee relief operations.

The damage to roads prompted several people to walk to their destinations. Among them was Chief Minister Oma Abdullah who walked nearly 6 km Monday evening to reach Ramban, where he was meant to oversee relief operations. (Special arrangement/Photo by Imran)

“Reports from Ramban suggest that the situation is not good, especially around the highway. The Deputy CM and local MLAs are also present in this area,” the CM had said earlier in the day before leaving for Ramban from Srinagar. “Efforts are on to restore the highway. Along with that we are also bringing relief to the residential areas affected by the landslides. The NDRF has been sent to the area, and we are also talking to the Centre to tap into the PM’s Relief Fund,”

Also among those who walked to their destination was a bridegroom, Hashkhor Ahmad. Wearing a wedding turban on his head and an achkan, this 20-something groom and his wedding procession set out from Saman Karma village near Ramban town towards Neelgagan Nag — nearly 10 kms away.

“My bride too will have to walk back home if it’s still like this when we return,” he says.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army organised langers to distribute food and water to people stranded on the highway. “While no emergency requisition has been made, civil authorities have assured they will seek army assistance should the need arise. Army personnel extended support by distributing tea and hot meals, offering temporary shelters, and providing basic medical aid to those in need,” he said.

Union minister Jitendra Singh also praised the Army for its efforts to reach out to the affected population. “While the district administration team led by an energetic deputy commissioner has been commendably on the job, it is time also to acknowledge and thank the Indian Army for its timely assistance, which played a crucial role in providing relief to the local population,” Singh, an MP from Jammu’s Udhampur, said in a post on social media.

The floods caused panic in Kashmir, prompting the chief minister to warn the public against hoarding essentials. While the Jammu-Srinagar highway remained closed, the alternate route to Kashmir via the Mughal Road is still open, he said.

“I also want to inform the people to bring such practices to the notice of the government so that action can be taken against them,” he said. “If needed, we can use that to bring essential items to Srinagar. For now, I believe the main highway will be opened in 2-3 days”.