41 Killed in J&K, Including 34 on Vaishno Devi Route

Srinagar: Heavy rains across Jammu and Kashmir triggered floods and mudslides in several parts of the Union Territory, killing at least 41 people, mostly pilgrims in Katra en route to the Vaishno Devi shrine.

At least 34 people died and several others were injured following a landslide in Katra, according to officials. Two injured persons died at the hospital. Four died in Doda and another two died of electrocution in southern Kashmir.

"As of now about 40 people have died in the last two days in weather-related events. Most of them died in Katra," a senior official in the administration told ET.

A fresh landslide occurred in the Dunar area of Bufliaz on Wednesday evening on the way to Poonch in Jammu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims killed in Katra and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. He spoke with the J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, who briefed him about the situation. Abdullah also announced an ex gratia relief of ₹6 lakh each for the next of kin of persons who lost their lives at Vaishno Devi and other places across J&K. He said that ₹1 lakh each would be given to the severely injured and ₹50,000 each to the others injured. The CM has also directed advance placement of ₹10 crore each with deputy commissioners of 20 districts. "As compared to yesterday, we have got slight relief today (Wednesday) with the fact that the rains have stopped. Water is slowly receding in low-lying areas," the CM said.

The water levels in rivers across Jammu slowly receded on Wednesday but in Kashmir, Jhelum and tributaries and other canals swelled to the danger mark, spreading panic across the Valley, bringing back the dark memories of the 2014 floods that submerged Srinagar and many other areas for several weeks.

In Anantnag and a few parts of Srinagar, Jhelum water entered some of the residential and business areas. People were seen helping relatives relocate in some areas. The administration, which had deployed disaster response teams to the vulnerable areas, said that more than 10,000 people had been shifted.

"I have already moved all the important items to the third storey of my house and shifted my family to a relative's place," said Muhammad Taha, a resident of Rajbagh in Srinagar, whose house was submerged in 2014 floods for more than six weeks.

Telecom and internet services remained disrupted overnight and for most of the time on Wednesday across the Valley. Services were partially restored on Wednesday evening. The highway connecting Srinagar with Jammu and the Mughal road connecting the Valley with Pir Panjal region were closed and all major trains to and from Jammu remained suspended. The administration announced closure of all schools, colleges and universities across J&K on Thursday.