Jammu-Srinagar Highway shut again amid fresh rain in J&K; death toll reaches 23

Relentless rain in Jammu region has kept the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway shut for the second day, while rescue teams stepped up searches for seven missing people in flood and landslide-hit areas of Poonch and Rajouri. Officials said the five-day spell of rain has so far left 23 people dead.

The closure of the 250-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, has stranded more than 600 vehicles at several points.

Officials said restoration work was under way, but continuous rain was slowing efforts to clear debris and repair damaged stretches.

The highway has been blocked at five places because of landslides, shooting stones and road erosion at multiple points between Jakhani in Udhampur district and Banihal in Ramban district.

A traffic police advisory said, "Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is still closed for vehicular movement due to landslides and shooting stones at several locations." Authorities have asked commuters to avoid travel until the weather improves and the highway is declared safe.

Officials said additional personnel had been deployed in Poonch and Rajouri to search flood channels and other vulnerable areas for the seven missing people.

Rescue and relief operations have been intensified in the affected districts, with teams from the civil administration, police, SDRF, NDRF and other agencies working round the clock to evacuate stranded residents, restore connectivity and assess the damage.

Besides the national highway, more than a dozen inter-district roads remained shut because of landslides, mudslides and road erosion. The Doda-Kishtwar road was also closed.

However, the Mughal Road linking Kashmir with Poonch district and the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri Road connecting Kashmir with Ladakh remained open, though heavy rainfall continued along both routes.

The Meteorological Department said fresh rainfall was likely in Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and the Chenab Valley districts before spreading to parts of south Kashmir.

It has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall till Thursday evening and warned that another spell of rain is likely to affect Jammu and Kashmir on Friday under the influence of an active western disturbance.

Officials said almost all rivers and streams were flowing in spate, while flash floods inundated several low-lying localities and damaged houses, shops and other infrastructure.

The Chenab at Akhnoor and the Tawi in Jammu, along with other rivers in the region, were flowing above the danger mark on Wednesday after incessant overnight rain, prompting authorities to step up monitoring and issue public safety advisories.

The prolonged rain has also caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, power infrastructure and water supply systems across the region. Officials said the government was closely monitoring the situation, with restoration of essential services and relief for affected families remaining the top priority.

Many parts of Jammu and Kashmir received heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours. In Jammu region, Reasi recorded the highest rainfall at 119.5 mm, followed by Katra 97.4 mm, Ramban 71.5 mm, Jammu 60.6 mm, Batote 60.4 mm, Udhampur 53.2 mm, Banihal 53.0 mm, Jammu Airport 42.6 mm, Rajouri 32.6 mm, Kathua 22.2 mm, Doda 15.0 mm, Bhaderwah 14.0 mm, Kishtwar 12.0 mm and Poonch 11.0 mm.

In the Kashmir Valley, Qazigund recorded the highest rainfall at 73.3 mm, followed by Pahalgam 60.2 mm, Kokernag 47.9 mm, Gulmarg 39.0 mm, Sangam 37.0 mm, Verinag 35.3 mm, Awantipora 31.2 mm, Baramulla 30.5 mm, Kulgam 24.2 mm, Tangmarg 22.2 mm, Pampore 20.0 mm, Nowgam Handwara 18.6 mm, Ganderbal 18.0 mm, Shopian 17.0 mm, Lolab 16.4 mm, Srinagar 15.6 mm, Pulwama 14.2 mm, Wular 14.0 mm, Sonamarg 13.0 mm, Sopore 12.0 mm, Kupwara 6.9 mm and Charar-i-Sharief 6.6 mm.

In Ladakh, Leh received 0.6 mm of rainfall.

With the highway still blocked, rescue operations continuing and more rain forecast, the impact of the prolonged wet spell remained visible across Jammu and Kashmir, where deaths, missing persons, disrupted roads and damage to infrastructure have put emergency services on high alert.