Udhampur, September 8
As heavy rainfall continues to lash Udhampur, commuters and locals on Sunday were seen crossing landslide-affected areas on foot by navigating a makeshift path carved along the upper sections of the collapsed hillside.
Personnel from the state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed at the site to assist and manage the situation.
Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police Prehlad Kumar said CRPF personnel have been deployed to guide the public through the affected area.
"Due to the heavy rains here, roads have been closed and people have been stuck on both sides.... We have deployed CRPF personnel here to guide the people here... The weather is opening here now, so the people can cross the blocked places..." Kumar told ANI.
SP Traffic Jatinder Singh appealed to commuters to avoid the route and exercise patience until clearance operations are completed.
"We started the restoration work four days ago, but it had to be halted due to landslides and rain. No vehicles are allowed to pass through at the moment. We appeal to all drivers to avoid the route and cooperate. Restoration work is underway and we are trying our best," Singh told ANI.
Meanwhile, residents of Kheri village, located in the Bantalab area of Jammu, reported that 15 to 20 houses have been either damaged or destroyed due to landslides triggered by incessant rains over the past few days.
The continuous downpours have caused deep cracks in the soil, rendering several houses unsafe and forcing villagers to take refuge in makeshift tents.
With the terrain remaining unstable and further rainfall posing risks to lives and property, locals have been urged to shift to safer locations at the earliest.
Many displaced families, who had invested their life savings into building their homes, are now living in distressing conditions.
"Our house, built with years of hard-earned money, is now destroyed. We have nowhere to stay, no money, and even no means to build a makeshift shelter. I haven't eaten food for three days. The administration promised help, but we have received nothing so far. We urgently need their support to rebuild our lives," said Javed, a local resident affected by the damage.
Another resident, Rafia, said, "The landslide struck suddenly at 3 a.m., destroying our household items due to heavy rain. We managed to save some of our belongings, but most are ruined and scattered. We are currently taking shelter in neighbours' homes. Around 10-15 houses here, and there are nearly 20-30 total houses in the colony. The MLA visited and assessed the situation, but we are still waiting for government assistance to provide us with a safe place to live."
- ANI
Reader Comments
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.