Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 28: While Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained blocked on the fourth consecutive day today due to landslides, two persons were washed away in floods while 23 goats were killed in house collapse in Dharamsal area of Rajouri.
Official sources said that as the weather improved today, the National Highway authorities cleared landslides at most of the places between Nashri-Ramban and Banihal. Some vehicles were also allowed to move ahead from these cleared locations. But Dalwas sliding zone near Chanderkote and Cafeteria Morh slide near Ramban bridge could not be cleared till late this evening. Over 9000 vehicles were said to have been stranded on the highway in Kashmir and Jammu regions.
Click here to watch video
IG Traffic, J&K, T Namgyal said that Dalwas area is still a major bottleneck on the highway. A vast mass of the mountain is sinking gradually and the loose soil is hampering restoration work. With the improvement in weather, the patch woud become stable. ” Work was going on round the clock there and we are hopeful of restoration of road by tomorrow. Cafeteria Morh slide is also giving some problem but in most of the areas, slides have been cleared,” the IG Traffic said.
Reports from Poonch said that 22-year-old Mohd Khalid, son of Mohd Sadiq, resident of Dingla near Kalai, who had gone to the higher reaches of Sawjian in Mandi along with some cattle were washed away in flooded Nallah last evening. His dead body was recovered today.
Another villager, Mohd Javaid (35), son of Maqbool Hussain, resident of Panjnar in Kandi area of Rajouri slipped into a flooded Nallah and was washed away. Later, his body was recovered by police and locals of the area. He was said to be mentally unsound.
Meanwhile, 23 goats/sheep of one Beli Ram, son of Sain Dass, resident of Bakhar under Dharamsal police jurisdiction, were killed and seven injured when his kuctha house along with cattle-room collapsed this morning. The family members escaped unhurt.
District Administration Ramban said that a total of 42 houses have collapsed in entire district during past two days due to rain. No loss of human life has been reported. The road near Jaswal bridge in Karool area via Maitra to Ramban has caved in due to heavy rain. The movement of traffic has been suspended on this road.
Three houses of Suram Chand, Mulakh Raj-both brothers and Makhan Lal of Latti in Udhampur were partially damaged. Makhan’s `Desi’ knitting machine (Khaddi) was also damaged. Two houses of Chuni Lal and Pukhu Ram were damaged at Palth near Mananu in Samba. Four houses were damaged at Neyali in Mahanpur area of Kathua today. About 15 families of the same area were shifted to a nearby school due to possible landslide in the area by the Administration.
Reasi- Mahore road remained closed due to landslide near Dharmari during the day today and was restored at around 5 pm, but Mahore-Chassana and Mahore- Gool roads were still blocked. Ramnagar-Basantgarh and Basohli-Bani road have been restored. The power supply to many areas was also restored today.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
