Landslide on Shri Mata Vaishno Devi route kills 30, injures 14; rivers in J&K exceed flood levels

Jammu, Aug 27: A landslide on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine route in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district killed at least 30 people and injured 14 others. Meanwhile, water levels in all rivers of the Jammu division and the Jhelum River in Kashmir remained above flood levels on Wednesday.

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A major tragedy occurred on the pilgrimage route to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district on Tuesday, when a landslide claimed the lives of 30 pilgrims and injured 14 others, officials reported.

Rescue teams swiftly mobilized to evacuate stranded pilgrims near Adhkwari, and the Yatra has been suspended until further notice.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha expressed their shock and grief over the tragedy, directing all possible relief and rescue efforts to assist the affected pilgrims and offering condolences to the grieving families.

Taking to his official ‘X’ handle, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “Still struggling with almost nonexistent communication. There is a trickle of data flowing on Jio mobile, but no fixed-line WiFi, no browsing, almost no apps, things like X open frustratingly slowly, and WhatsApp struggles with anything more than short text messages. Haven’t felt this disconnected since the terrible days of 2014 & 2019.”

Twin cloudbursts caused flash floods in the Margi area of Warwan Valley in Kishtwar district, washing away at least 10 houses, over 300 kanals of crops, livestock, and a bridge.

Reports indicate that water has flooded around 60 houses, forcing affected families to seek shelter under tarpaulin tents on nearby hillocks.

With phone connectivity nearly nonexistent in the Warwan and Marwah valleys, locals were able to send distress messages, urgently requesting rescue and relief assistance.

The remote Warwan Valley, home to nearly 40,000 people across 50 villages, remains cut off from Kishtwar district headquarters. Residents are urging authorities to speed up relief and rescue operations.

The River Tawi in Udhampur was recorded at 36.1 ft at 6 a.m., nearly 13 feet above the Evacuation Level and 4 feet higher than the previous record during the 2014 floods. Similarly, the Chenab River at Akhnoor was flowing at 43 feet at 5:30 a.m., one foot above the Evacuation Level.

Authorities have declared a flood warning for the Jhelum River in the Valley, as it was flowing above the danger mark at Ram Munshibagh in Srinagar this morning.

Water has inundated low-lying areas of Jammu city, including the parking space at Jammu railway station.

The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, Srinagar-Leh, Jammu-Pathankot, Sinthan Pass leading to Kishtwar, and Razdan Pass leading to Gurez have all been blocked due to adverse weather, triggering landslides and fresh snowfall.

In Jammu district, all schools, colleges, universities, and government offices, except those involved in flood relief, will remain closed today, according to a directive from the District Magistrate.

In the Valley, schools, colleges, and universities in Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Budgam, and Srinagar will also remain closed due to adverse weather conditions, as confirmed by the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir.

Meanwhile, fiber and landline services from state-owned BSNL are down, affecting communication as mobile signals have also been disrupted. Telecom operators cited "multiple fiber cuts" in Jammu, Srinagar, and Shimla, but assured that efforts to restore services are underway.