Ministers, top officials reach out to people in flood-affected areas in Jammu

Jammu, Aug 29 (PTI) Ministers and top officials on Friday reached out to people in the flood-hit areas of Jammu region to assess relief and rehabilitation operations, which have been sped up to restore water, power and connectivity.

In response to the emergency caused by heavy rains, floods and disruption of train services, a dedicated help desk has been established at Jammu Tawi railway station.

Multiple government agencies on Friday intensified rescue, restoration and rehabilitation operations in Jammu and Samba districts to clear several low-lying localities of debris and reconnect them with water, power and road networks, officials said.

After record rainfall wreaked havoc in the Jammu region over the past two days, the death toll in rain-related incidents has risen to 45, with 34 of them being victims of the landslide on the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route. Twenty others were injured.

Men and machinery of the Public Works Department and Jammu Municipal Corporation have been pressed into service in low-lying areas to clear debris, mud and stranded vehicles.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh visited flood-hit areas along the highway in Udhampur, while Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary reached out to people in affected parts of Jammu to supervise relief operations being conducted by the administration.

Similarly, minister Javed Rana undertook a comprehensive tour of flood-affected villages in the Jammu region, including Bharmini, Ghura, Sarari, Bathindi, Sunjwan and Chatha, to assess the on-ground situation and oversee relief and rehabilitation measures.

Top officials, including deputy commissioners and commissioners, also visited affected areas and directed agencies to restore all essential facilities.

Rana visited the relief camp at Dongi Higher Secondary School, where several families displaced from Bharmini village have been temporarily sheltered. He interacted with the affected families to understand their concerns first-hand and reviewed the facilities and arrangements at the camp.

Minister Satish Sharma extensively visited the flood-affected areas in Khour sub-division, covering Dhar Khour, Channi Dawnoo, Thangar and Block Samwan, to assess the damage caused by recent floods and oversee ongoing relief and rehabilitation measures.

Reports suggest that connectivity to nearly 50 villages has been disrupted due to the downpour and flash floods.

Over 12,000 people were evacuated from flood-hit areas during rescue operations. As waters began to recede, many residents rushed back to their inundated homes to clear out floodwater and resume normal life, the officials said.

The water levels of major rivers, including Tawi, Chenab, Basantar, Ravi, and Ujh, have receded, bringing the much-needed relief to people in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.

However, extensive damage has been reported to public infrastructure — bridges, private houses, and commercial establishments — due to overflowing rivers and flash floods across the Union Territory.

Northern Railways cancelled 45 trains to and from Jammu and Katra on August 30. PTI AB KSS KSS