Kashmir Impulse Desk

Jammu, July 24

The swollen Tawi and Chenab rivers kept authorities on high alert in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods and mudslides in parts of Udhampur and raised concerns of sudden rises in river levels.

Two people stranded in the Bhini river in Kathua district were rescued by police and disaster-response personnel after a sudden increase in the water level, officials said.

Heavy rain in Udhampur triggered flash floods and mudslides at Barkuanda and Kadwah-Basantgarh, damaging some houses and agricultural fields. No deaths were reported.

Authorities evacuated three families from the Bupp area after flash-flood-related mudslides threatened their homes and moved them to a government middle school in Barkuanda, officials said.

In Kadwah village, floodwaters damaged some houses and fields, but the situation improved after authorities diverted the water into an alternative channel, preventing further damage.

The Chenab river was flowing close to its danger mark in Jammu district following persistent rain, prompting authorities to maintain round-the-clock surveillance along vulnerable stretches. State Disaster Response Force teams were placed on standby to respond to any sudden rise in water levels.

The Chenab was also swollen in neighbouring Reasi district, while police and district authorities continued to warn residents to stay away from rivers, streams and other flooded water bodies.

The Tawi river also showed fluctuating water levels. Although conditions improved after the rain stopped, authorities remained on high alert in low-lying parts of Jammu, including Gujjar Nagar, Nikki Tawi and Beli Charana.

Udhampur recorded the highest rainfall in the Jammu region over the previous 24 hours, receiving 96.5 mm, followed by Batote with 84.2 mm and Ramban with 69.5 mm, according to officials.

Other areas also recorded significant rainfall, including Bhaderwah at 65.7 mm, Katra at 45.1 mm, Kathua at 44.8 mm, Banihal at 38.3 mm, Doda at 35 mm, Reasi at 27.5 mm, Kishtwar at 27 mm, Jammu airport at 26 mm and Jammu city at 25.2 mm.

In Kathua, police and the State Disaster Response Force carried out a joint rescue operation after two people became stranded in the Bhini river when its water level rose suddenly.

The two had gone near the river in the morning and became trapped in the middle of the watercourse, Senior Superintendent of Police Kathua Mohita Sharma said.

A police team from Billawar, led by Station House Officer Inspector Zaheer Mushtaq, and an SDRF team reached the site after receiving information about the incident and rescued both people without injuries, Sharma said.

The two were later handed over to their families.

Sharma urged residents to exercise caution during periods of heavy rainfall and avoid approaching rivers and streams, where water levels can rise rapidly without warning.