Jammu/Srinagar: Two people, including a woman, died as record-breaking rainfall battered Jammu on Sunday, inundating residential areas, disrupting traffic and triggering landslides at several locations. The city recorded 185.6 mm of rainfall in three hours, surpassing its previous October record of 160 mm set in 1955, officials said.
The downpour began around 8.30 am, flooding roads and residential localities, damaging vehicles and shops, and sending water rushing through narrow lanes. The maximum temperature in Jammu dropped to 23.3 degrees Celsius, around nine degrees below normal.
A 27-year-old woman went missing in the Raipur Domana area after allegedly being swept away by flash floods while trying to save her husband, who was attempting to move their parked car. The man managed to save himself by clinging to an object, but his wife remained missing despite search efforts by residents, police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams.
In a separate incident, the body of a man suspected to have drowned in a flooded stream was recovered from the Domana area on Sunday evening. Officials said his identity and the exact cause of death had not been established.
Panjtirthi, Nagrota, Roop Nagar, Janipur, Dogra Chowk, Durga Nagar, Shakti Nagar and Raipur Domana were among the worst-affected areas. Several roads were waterlogged, while rainwater entered houses and commercial establishments in low-lying localities.
Residents reported damage to cars and two-wheelers as water accumulated rapidly. Videos circulated on social media showed torrents of rainwater flowing through lanes and spilling into residential premises and shops.
“The rainwater started flowing through the lanes with considerable force, and it became difficult to move around. Water entered residential areas, leaving people worried about their homes and belongings,” Vijay Kumar, a resident of Shakti Nagar, said.
Another resident, Sohan Singh of Domana, said the situation deteriorated within a short time as roads filled with water, leaving people struggling to protect their belongings and ensure their families’ safety.
Landslides were reported on the Panjtirthi-Sidrah and Sidrah-Nagrota road stretches, disrupting vehicular movement and causing traffic congestion. Authorities deployed personnel and machinery to clear debris and restore traffic after several hours of work. Commuters were advised to exercise caution on vulnerable stretches because of unstable slopes and slippery road conditions.
The heavy rainfall once again highlighted the vulnerability of several Jammu neighbourhoods to waterlogging, particularly during intense spells of rain. Residents of Durga Nagar, Shakti Nagar and Raipur Domana reported water entering their homes and shops, raising concerns about damage to property and the safety of people living in low-lying areas.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Centre Srinagar has forecast another spell of wet weather across Jammu and Kashmir from October 13 to 15, with light rain expected at many places and light snowfall likely over higher reaches.
The weather is expected to remain generally dry until October 12. Thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds are likely on October 13 and 14, the department said, advising people to remain alert during the forecast period.
Brief spells of light rain may occur at isolated places on October 16, while predominantly dry conditions are expected from October 17 to 23.
The MeT department has advised farmers to continue harvesting operations and ensure the safe storage of harvested apples and paddy to minimise potential losses from adverse weather.
The forecast wet spell is likely to bring renewed attention to vulnerable road stretches, drainage systems and low-lying residential areas across the Union Territory.
