Landslides kill 30 as floods wreak havoc in Jammu

 

Heavy monsoon rains have triggered deadly landslides and severe flooding in northern India's Jammu region, killing at least 30 people on a famous pilgrimage route. 

 

The deluge has prompted officials to issue stay-at-home warnings and close schools.

 

The latest casualty count comes after a landslide near the Vaishno Devi temple on Tuesday, part of a pilgrimage route. 

 

This is the latest tragedy in the Himalayan region, following an earlier landslide in Kashmir's Kishtwar district that left 60 dead and 200 missing last week.

 

Officials in the Jammu district reported that the Tawi, Chenab, and Basantar rivers have swollen above their danger levels, causing widespread flooding in low-lying areas. 

 

The region received a record 368mm of rainfall on Tuesday alone.

 

Authorities have ordered the closure of educational institutions, and Omar Abdullah, a local legislator, stated that officials are working to restore telecommunication services, which have been severely disrupted.
 

 

 

 

Recent television footage showed a car falling into a massive sinkhole after a bridge over the Tawi river collapsed.

 

Some highways linking Jammu to other parts of India have also been damaged.

 

The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast further rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds for the mountainous Ladakh region, even as the downpour continues to lash the Jammu and Kashmir districts.

 

Meanwhile, neighbouring Pakistan has also been impacted by the floodwaters.

 

On Tuesday, officials in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province declared a high alert, warning of severe flood threats from heavy rainfall and water releases from two Indian dams.

 

The recent heavy monsoon rains have already displaced over 150,000 people across Pakistan, with nearly 35,000 having to evacuate their homes since flood warnings were first issued on August 14th.