MENDHAR/JAMMU: At least two houses and a school building were completely damaged, and more than six other houses developed cracks after a severe land subsidence occurred in a remote mountain village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, officials said on Sunday.
The land in Saroti Jabran village reportedly began sinking following heavy rains on July 22. Over the past 11 days, the situation has deteriorated, forcing several families to abandon their homes as large cracks continued to widen across the affected area, officials said.
Tehsildar Mendhar Rahul Basotra confirmed the damage in the village and added that over a dozen houses remain under threat as the ground continues to show signs of instability.
Basotra said he, along with field staff, was in touch with the affected families and was monitoring the situation, adding that a detailed assessment of the damage was underway.
The residents said at least five residential houses and two school buildings have already been destroyed, with several other houses suffering cracks, prompting the inhabitants to shift to safer locations.
The subsidence has also severely damaged essential infrastructure, disrupting drinking water supply and electricity after pipelines, power lines and poles were damaged, Syed Zulfkar Hussain Shah, a local said.
He appealed for an urgent geological assessment and engineering intervention to divert the accumulating water, which locals believe is triggering the land movement.
Shah warned that a shrine, a graveyard and another residential settlement located downhill were also under threat if the subsidence continues.
Another resident alleged that despite the worsening crisis, no senior government officials had visited the remote village.
“Families have removed their belongings from their houses but have not even been provided tents to spend the night,” he claimed.
The affected villagers have appealed to the deputy commissioner to immediately shift vulnerable families to safer locations, provide temporary shelter and relief, restore basic services and ensure adequate compensation and rehabilitation.
