Section of Jammu-Srinagar NH washed away; heavy rains trigger flash floods

Heavy rains caused landslides in Ramban and Udhampur districts forcing the closure of the strategic road for the second consecutive day on Wednesday

Landslide on NH44

A 150-foot section of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was washed away by flash floods triggered by heavy rains near Toldi Nallah, 16 kilometres away from Udhampur town. Heavy rains caused landslides in Ramban and Udhampur districts forcing the closure of the strategic road for the second consecutive day on Wednesday

Officials said the road closure has left hundreds of vehicles stranded. Traffic was also suspended on the Mughal Road, which connects south Kashmir's Shopian district with the districts of Poonch and Rajouri in the Jammu region due to landslides. According to reports, over 1,000 vehicles are stranded at various places along the highway. Officials said that stranded passengers were being provided with food and medical facilities.

The shuttering of the under-construction Peerah bridge was also washed away due to heavy rains. 

Machines had been deployed to restore the road patch of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway swept away in the flash floods in the Tawi river. The officials said that no loss of life has been reported thus far. 

Stating that chances of the road reopening on Wednesday are minimum, officials said the Jammu-Srinagar highway is blocked due to landslides and fresh shooting stones at several places in the Ramban district.

According to officials, along the 270-km highway in Ramban and Udhampur districts, there have been over 33 landslides, mudslides and incidents of shooting stones. 

The situation at Battery Cheshma on the highway is bad as a lot of mud is to be cleared to ensure that heavy vehicles trapped in it are cleared, they said.

The road connecting Khari to Mahoo and Khari to Nachlana was blocked due to mudslide and shooting stones and part of the road sank at Hirnihaal, officials said, adding that the people have been advised against venturing out. 

The Mughal Road is blocked due to landslides at Poshana while the SSG road is blocked at Chini nallah and efforts are on to clear them, officials said, adding that heavy rains were hampering the cleaning operation.