- Trucks diverted to Dhar road, jam cleared
- 4 families shifted as land sinks in Gool
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 28: A woman was killed when her muddy house collapsed due to heavy rains in Udhampur area, four houses were totally damaged due to sinking of land in Sangaldan area of Gool in Ramban district, a foot-bridge washed away in flash flood in Doda area today while entire traffic jam in Kathua and Samba areas was cleared by the Traffic Police authorities by this evening.
Reports said heavy rain lashed several districts of Jammu region today causing extensive damage. A footbridge was washed away in a flash flood in Gandoh area of Doda and the roof of a house collapsed in Ramnagar area.
A link road connecting Budhal area of Rajouri with Mahore in Reasi was closed due to a massive landslide following heavy rainfall in Chasana area, sources said.
Due to heavy rain today a muddy house collapsed in Ramnagar area of Udhampur district, in which a woman was killed and three others escaped unhurt. Body of the woman was later retried from the debris by the villagers.
Heavy rains lashed Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur, Kathua, Samba, Poonch, Reasi, Jammu and Rajouri districts triggered flash floods, sources said.
In Doda, a footbridge was washed away in flash flood in Kaljugasar area of Gandoh. With this the connectivity to at least three villages and four hamlets has been snapped, sources added.
There was a major landslide in remote Chasana area of Reasi district, blocking Rajouri -Budhal-Reasi road.
An advisory has been issued asking people not to travel on the road till it is restored, the sources said.
The road connects Rajouri with Reasi and Ramban districts via Mahore and Gool areas.
Heavy traffic jam was witnessed on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway and there was a long queue of vehicles at Lakhanpur, the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir.
Truck drivers said they were facing massive jams for the past few days after damage to the Tarnah bridge and traffic was diverted to the border link road of Hiranagar.
Flash floods caused severe damage to the bridge on the Tarnah river prompting authorities to close it for traffic last week.
Several rivers and Nallahs in the region including Tawi, Chenab, Basantar and Ujh were flooded due to heavy rains in hilly areas.
Reports from Ramban said that four residential houses were damaged due to sinking of land in Tattapani, Sangaldan area of Gool Sub Division of Ramban district.
Official sources said following rains that lashed the area last night in Tattapani, Sangaldan triggered a landslide due to which four residential houses were damaged.
They said all the inmates had been removed to safer places and tents provided to affected families. Administration is making every possible effort to help these families under SDRF and Red Cross, reports added.
District Development Council Chairperson, Ramban Dr Shamshada Shan said a house belonging to Taru Gujjar was damaged due to a huge landslide in Dumki Panchayat Halqa. The Revenue team visited the spot to assess the loss. She requested LG, Manoj Sinha to announce a special package for flood victims.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mussarat Islam said four families were affected due to a landslide near Tattapani, Sangaldan. He said families were shifted to safer places. Cash relief, tents, utensils, blankets shall be provided under SDRF & Red Cross by the district administration Ramban, he added.
Meanwhile, Traffic Police authorities with the assistance of local police today cleared massive traffic jam from the National Highway right from Madhopur –Lakhanpur to Samba. The jam was created after authorities stopped movement of heavy vehicles/ load carriers/ trucks/ trailers on Chakra bridge over river Tarnah in Hiranagar after some cracks were developed on it. However, buses and medium and light motor vehicles are being allowed on the bridge.
DIG Traffic Jammu, Shridhar Patil told the Excelsior that entire traffic right from Lakhanpur to Samba was cleared by this evening. The traffic cops put a lot of hard work round the clock and even during heavy rain and diverted goods carriers/ heavy load carriers (Trallas) to Dhar Road. He said some trucks were diverted from Dayalachak, Mansar Morh and Lakhanpur to Dhar Road. Kashmir traffic is being diverted right from Udhampur and Lakhanpur via Dhar Road, he added.
Patil further said a meeting with Truck Union was also held today and the operators were motivated that under compulsions, for regulating traffic properly, temporary arrangement has been made with diversion via Dhar Road and they must cooperate. They agreed and now the traffic was plying smoothly on the diverted route of Hiranagar border. He said NHAI officials have assured to raise temporary bridge near damaged Tarnah bridge on old alignment within one week if weather permitted.
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