Three people, including a woman and her daughter, were killed due to the continuing torrential rains in the Jammu region on Wednesday, while 44 people trapped in a flooded village were rescued by security forces.
The trio was killed when their house collapsed due to rains in Kangri village of Sunderbani in Rajouri. The bodies were recovered from the debris and shifted to hospital for postmortem.
A truck driver, Sham Lal, was killed when his vehicle was washed away in an overflowing rainfed rivulet at Bantalab here.
Most rivers were flowing above danger mark as the hilly areas were witnessing heavy rains for the second consecutive day.
The vital Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed due to multiple landslides between Udhampur and Banihal, officials said. Several other inter-district roads were also closed. The alternate road link with Kashmir through the Mughal Road was also shut.
At least 44 persons were trapped in the Fattu Kotli village of Akhnoor due to overflowing Chenab river which was flowing four feet above the evacuation level of 42 feet this morning, officials said.
BSF, SDRF and police teams rescued them to safe places. A helicopter was used to evacuate them.
Men of J&K Police in Gool, Ramban, rescued a family of 11 members including children trapped in a house.
Another landslide was witnessed on the Vaishnodevi route, however no loss was reported as the pilgrimage remains shut after 35 people were killed in a massive landslide last week. A video has gone viral of a cloudburst on a hill opposite Lake View Resort, Gatha (Bhaderwah), triggering a massive landslide and flood-like situation.
Several houses of the Kotli village in Akhnoor were inundated as the Chenab river was overflowing before entering Pakistan.
The situation was alarming also in south Kashmir where the Police conducted rescue operations in several flood-affected areas in Kulgam. Anantnag Police carried out a swift rescue operation at Aang Anzwalla, safely evacuating 25 nomadic families stranded due to a sudden rise in Lidder river.
The Wathora area of Chadoora in the Budgam district of Kashmir was also facing a flood situation.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Anshul Garg said that people have been evacuated from nine villages of south Kashmir.
Jammu recorded a significant rainfall of 81 mm rain between 8.30 am yesterday till 5.30 am today. Reasi had the highest rainfall of 203 mm followed by 193 mm in Katra,157 mm in Batote and 114 mm in Doda.
All schools, colleges and universities have also suspended class work and all examinations owing to inclement weather for the day. The Board of School Education also announced the postponement of exams for classes 10 and 11 scheduled for 3 September.
As a precautionary measure, all vehicular and pedestrian movement on roads across District Doda has been strictly prohibited during night hours from 8 PM to 8 AM, with immediate effect.