Hours Long Traffic Jams Muddy Water In Houses Cloudbursts Put 2 Jammu And Kashmir Districts On Alert

Multiple cloudbursts in Jammu and Kashmir s hilly Kishtwar and Doda districts on Tuesday evening led to hours-long traffic blockages and disrupted normal life, prompting the administration to sound an alert. Officials said the cloudbursts hit Thathri in Doda d... Multiple cloudbursts in Jammu and Kashmir’s hilly Kishtwar and Doda districts on Tuesday evening led to hours-long traffic blockages and disrupted normal life, prompting the administration to sound an alert. Officials said the cloudbursts hit Thathri in Doda district, and Drabshalla and Sarthal areas in Kishtwar. There was no report of loss of life. The cloudbursts came within minutes after heavy rain lashed the areas around 4 pm and continued for nearly an hour. While vehicular traffic on the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar national highway was restored within three hours, work went on into the night to clear debris accumulated on the Thathri-Drabshalla stretch in the Machipam and Saroor areas. Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Sharma said localised rain and cloudbursts brought debris on the roads, and muddy water entered various houses in affected areas. At Thathri, a number of vehicles were seen with debris accumulated on them. A landslide had hit a local madrasa, and volunteers were seen helping students cross the floodwater flowing on the road, besides rescuing people from vehicles and helping them reach safer locations. Pointing out that cloudbursts have become a regular phenomenon in the district for the past two to three years, Sharma asked people to stay away from water bodies and nullahs during rain and the coming monsoon season. The administration of both districts asked the concerned line departments, including Revenue, PWD, Mechanical Engineering, PMGSY, JPDCL, Jal Shakti, Health and Medical, Education, Irrigation and Flood Control, NHIDCL, BRO and others to remain on alert and be prepared to render immediate assistance, if required. All the tehsildars have been asked to immediately report any damage to life or property resulting from the prevailing weather conditions. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is closely monitoring the situation, officials said. The Lt Governor said in a post on X, “Spoke with Deputy Commissioners of Kishtwar and Doda regarding the flash floods caused by heavy rainfall… Emergency response teams have been directed to remain on high alert and continuously monitor the situation. I’ve directed both the DCs of Kishtwar and Doda to swiftly restore roads, highways, and water pipelines. Field staff and specialised medical teams are on high alert, and damage assessments will begin as soon as field verification is complete.” Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram Multiple cloudbursts in Jammu and Kashmir s hilly Kishtwar and Doda districts on Tuesday evening led to hours-long traffic blockages and disrupted normal life, prompting the...