After deadly floods, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday cited an India Meteorological Department (IMD) report, saying that weather conditions in Jammu & Kashmir have eased after days of devastation caused by heavy rains.
The IMD downgraded its warning from ‘red’ to ‘yellow’ for Thursday and Friday, with only isolated heavy rainfall of 7–11 cm expected in parts of Jammu, Udhampur, and Doda. Conditions are likely to improve further across the Union Territory by August 29.
According to the IMD, there will be “a significant reduction in rainfall activity likely over Jammu and Kashmir from today,” however, isolated heavy rainfall spells are likely to continue over Northwest India during the next 6-7 days.
Jhelum water level receded after rising beyond the danger mark overnight
According to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, the water level of the Jhelum at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar, which had remained above the danger mark overnight, began to recede early Thursday.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh tweets, “Jammu and Kashmir Update: Here is a reassuring report from the IMD (India Meteorological Department). Yesterday’s severe weather conditions have improved today over Jammu & Kashmir. The “Red Colour” warning has been downgraded to “Yellow… pic.x.com/7tnzhH6DEe
— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2025
Real-time data showed the river dropping from 21.03 feet at 1:09 a.m. to 20.53 feet at 7:09 a.m. While the level is now below the danger mark, officials said monitoring will continue in vulnerable areas.
Tawi river flooding wash away roads, houses
Flooding also washed away a portion of the road near Jammu’s fourth Tawi bridge, while around 35 houses and six shops in Belicharana were damaged. Flash floods in Bhaderwah, Doda district, destroyed several homes, forcing residents to move to safer locations.
At least 41 people, most of them Vaishno Devi pilgrims, lost their lives in Reasi and Doda districts between Tuesday and Wednesday as Jammu province witnessed its heaviest 24-hour rainfall on record.
Thirty-four pilgrims died near Adhkunwari following a cloudburst en route to the shrine, while four others were killed in Doda earlier that morning due to rain and flash floods.
Earlier on Wednesday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting to review the rescue and relief operations and preparedness of the Union Territory following the landslide that occurred near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra, as well as the flash flood situation in several districts.
The Lieutenant Governor directed officials to take every possible measure to ensure that people staying in low-lying flood-affected areas are safely evacuated.
He asked the officials to ensure the maintenance of all essential services, such as power, healthcare, clean drinking water, rations, and teleconnectivity.
He said that the essential services disrupted in flood-affected areas must be restored as a priority, and the natural-disaster-hit regions should have an adequate stock of essential supplies and medicines. (With inputs from ANI)