Poonch

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said that restoration efforts were underway on a war footing after heavy rains, flash floods and landslides caused damage to houses and key public infrastructure in Rajouri and Poonch districts.

In a post on X, Sinha said senior officials and the Deputy Commissioners of Rajouri and Poonch had been directed to assess the damage, while all departments were working in coordination for rescue, relief and restoration operations.

"I spoke with senior officials and the DCs of Rajouri and Poonch to assess the damage to houses and key public infrastructure caused by heavy rains, flash floods, and landslides. The Divisional Commissioner and IG Jammu are currently on the ground, and I have instructed all departments to work around the clock in close coordination to manage rescue, relief, and restoration efforts. Our main focus is reopening key roads and restoring power and water supplies. I was informed that out of 435 damaged roads, 356 have already been restored," the LG said.

The Lieutenant Governor also urged people to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable areas and follow safety advisories issued by local administrations. He said teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and Civil Defence were engaged in relief and restoration work.

"I urge citizens to avoid non-essential travel in vulnerable areas and strictly follow safety advisories issued by the local district administration. Teams from the SDRF, NDRF, Army, BRO, NHAI, J&K Police, and Civil Defence are working together, while Quick Response teams are deployed in vulnerable areas. I am deeply anguished by the tragic loss of lives in this natural calamity. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Prayers for the swift recovery of all those injured," the LG added.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar said that restoration of essential services was being prioritised, with power supply emerging as the major challenge in Rajouri and Poonch.

Speaking to reporters, Kumar said, "The tragedy that has occurred is indeed unfortunate. Yesterday, the IG and I visited Rajouri to assess the situation, and we are currently on our way to Surankote. We have just reviewed the restoration of essential services. The major issue in Rajouri and Poonch is the power supply. The heavy rains in Behla and Surankote caused the collapse of two 132kV towers that supplied power to the entire Poonch region. Restoration work began the day before yesterday...we hope to restore the power supply by this evening or tomorrow morning."

Addressing concerns over water supply and connectivity, Kumar said immediate arrangements were being made through tankers and generator sets, while road clearance operations were progressing despite fresh landslides in some areas.

He further stated that, "The water supply issue will be resolved once the electricity is restored. To address the immediate water shortage, we are increasing the number of tankers to ensure supply to the people. Water is also being supplied using generator sets. As for telecommunications, there was an initial problem in Poonch on the first day, but the Chief Secretary intervened, and the network has been restored. The process of reopening roads is well underway, and most have already been cleared; however, landslides are still occurring on some stretches, which will take a little more time to resolve."

On Sunday, flash floods triggered by relentless overnight rainfall caused widespread damage in Rajouri after the Rajouri River overflowed, inundating low-lying areas including Madina Colony. The sudden flooding damaged public and private property, with water entering key areas including the new bus stand and sweeping away several vehicles.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police in Ramban also appealed to people to stay away from the banks of the Chenab River after the opening of gates of the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project Dam led to a rise in the river's water level.

In an advisory, Ramban Police urged people not to venture near the river and follow safety instructions issued by authorities.

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At least seven people died after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir's Surankote area of Poonch district, while rescue teams comprising the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) continued search operations for the missing on Sunday amid heavy rain across the Union Territory.