Multiple cloudbursts have struck Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district in the past 24 hours, unleashing flash floods that destroyed homes, bridges, and roads. At least four people have died, and more than a dozen houses have been swept away.
The sudden floods followed a cloudburst near the Gupta Ganga temple in Bhaderwah. Water rushed down into residential areas, carrying away 10 to 15 houses. Three footbridges collapsed under the force of the torrents, leaving several villages cut off.
Deputy Commissioner of Doda, Harvinder Singh, confirmed the toll. “Two people died after their house collapsed, while two others were washed away in flash floods,” he said. “Fifteen residential houses and several cow sheds have been destroyed. A private health centre has also suffered major damage.”
The heavy rain has also pushed the Chenab River close to danger levels. Singh warned that the river had reached 899.3 metres, just short of its highest flood mark of 900 feet. “We have restricted movement near the river and evacuated people from vulnerable areas,” he added.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh said he had spoken directly with the Doda administration. “The situation is being monitored round the clock. Regular updates are being shared with my office,” he said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the situation as “quite serious.” In a post on X, he announced he would travel to Jammu to oversee relief measures. “Instructions have been issued to release additional funds to district administrations for emergency restoration work,” Abdullah wrote.
Rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force and local volunteers are working through the debris. Several families have been shifted to temporary shelters.
The impact of the rainfall is being felt across the region. The pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi has been suspended indefinitely. A spokesperson for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said the Himkoti route was the first to be closed. “The safety of devotees is our top priority. The yatra will resume once conditions stabilise,” the spokesperson said.
The Batote-Kishtwar National Highway (NH-244) has been washed away in places, halting vehicular movement. Train services have also been disrupted.
For residents, the disaster brings back memories of earlier tragedies. On August 14, a cloudburst in Chasoti village of Kishtwar killed 65 people. Nearly 200 remain missing. Pilgrims on the Machail Mata Yatra were caught in that flood, with buses, tents, and shops swept away.
Officials say restoration of basic services could take weeks. Bridges must be rebuilt, roads cleared, and displaced families resettled.
For now, residents wait in relief camps while watching the skies. The fear of another sudden cloudburst hangs heavy over Doda.
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