Heavy rain wreaks havoc in IIOJK, triggers flash floods

ISLAMABAD:Heavy rains created havoc in the plains and triggered landslides, flash floods in hilly parts of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Rains lashed various parts of Jammu damaging roads and buildings in several areas. The Police Control Room, Jammu, said that water entered in many houses and government buildings while walls of some complexes also collapsed due to rain.

Police Post Gadigarh, in the outskirts, was inundated, while the boundary wall of City Police Station collapsed.

The water level in the Tawi River has also swelled owing to continuous downpour in the upper reaches.

City roads were waterlogged and the rainwater inundated houses in low laying areas like Bhagwati Nagar, Talab Tillo, Jewel Chowk, Rajinder Nagar, Qasim Nagar, Vinayak Bazar, Dogra Chowk, Gandhi Nagar, Sainik Colony, Green Belt and many other areas.

Police spokesman said that no reports of any injury or major damage has been reported so far.

Jammu City recorded the highest ever rainfall of 150.6mm during the last 24 hours since 1989 for the month of July.

Heavy downpours were witnessed in other parts of Jammu region. Katra and Samba received 76.6mm and 119.0mm rainfall during the last 24 hours.

Kathua, Batote, Bhaderwah and Banihal recorded 24.8mm, 25.4mm, 10.4mm and 6.4 mm rainfall respectively.

The waterlogged Jammu-Pathankot national highway also remained shut at Samba.

Locals staged protest saying that due to overflow of drains especially in monsoon season, the road gets blocked but the authorities are not taking any notice to this grievance despite repeated reminders.

The weatherman has said that as expected, very heavy showers occurred at many places of Jammu plains whereas moderate shower reported at many places of Kashmir and Hilly areas of Jammu and continuously raining. “Weather will remain overcast to Cloudy at most places of J&K,” he said. He said that the shower may generate Flash Flood and Landslide in Hilly Area which may led to blockage of Road.