Srinagar: Extremely heavy rains lashed most parts of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, causing flash floods in several low-lying areas and damaging a major bridge on the Jammu-Pathankot highway.
According to Kashmir Media Service, authorities have issued an advisory asking people to stay away from rivers and landslide-prone areas.
The Meteorological Department has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall with the possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides till August 27.
At least 45 students of the Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIM) in Jammu were shifted to a safer place after the ground floor of their hostel complex was submerged in floodwaters. The rescue operation to save the students continued for over five hours and all the stranded students were shifted to safer places.
Normal life was disrupted in Jammu city due to heavy rains. Roads were submerged in several places, including Janipur, Roop Nagar, Talab Tulu, Jewel Chowk, New Plot and Sanjay Nagar, and flood water entered houses and a dozen vehicles were swept away in the floodwaters in the city.
A traffic officer said the 250-km long Srinagar- Jammu highway and the 434-km long Srinagar-Leh highway were open for traffic despite the heavy rains. However, the Mughal Road, connecting Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu with Shopian in the Kashmir Valley, and the Santhan Road, connecting Kishtwar and Doda districts with various districts of Jammu, remained closed.
A bridge collapsed in the middle near Lugate Mor on the Jammu-Pathankot highway. Water levels in major rivers and streams, including Basantar in Samba, Ajh and Ravi in Kathua, Chenab in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Jammu and Tawi in Udhampur and Jammu rose sharply.
Officials said there was no report of any casualty, so far.