Three dead, hundreds evacuated, travel by road and air affected after cloudburst causes chaos in J-K.

On Sunday morning, a cloudburst resulted in heavy rain, wind, and hail throughout Ramban tehsil in Jammu and Kashmir, causing the deaths of three people and the collapse of multiple residential and commercial buildings. The weather has led to the displacement of hundreds of residents and caused interruptions in transportation.

Ramban’s Deputy Commissioner, Baseer ul Haq, reported that the heavy rainfall that began at approximately 1:10 am was still ongoing by the afternoon.

The district administration, having already raised an alert due to the unfavorable weather prediction by the Met Department, issued announcements from temples and mosques to inform the public about the situation.

The Emergency Control Centre, established in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, activated revenue and police teams to evacuate individuals from low-lying regions within the tehsil to safer locations. Almost 500 individuals were relocated to safer areas throughout the night-long activities.

Nonetheless, three individuals were entombed beneath the debris of their home, which fell in Seri Champa village on the fringes of Ramban town. The Deputy Commissioner stated that the administration has recovered their bodies. Groups of officials continued to assist individuals in need.

The weather has caused the Jammu and Srinagar national highway to be shut down for vehicles due to blockages created by landslides at multiple locations in the Ramban district. Reports indicate disturbances in air travel to Srinagar as well.

Numerous residential and commercial structures suffered significant damage, and many vehicles were left submerged in the muck from the cloudburst. Officials stated that a property loss assessment will occur once the heavy rain subsides.