Jammu breaks 71-year October rainfall record; two dead, normal life disrupted
Jammu, Oct 11: Two people, including a woman, lost their lives as Jammu received 185.6 mm of rainfall in three hours on Sunday, shattering its 71-year October record of 160 mm set in 1955 and disrupting normal life, officials said.
The record-breaking downpour, which began around 8.30 am, inundated roads and residential areas, damaged vehicles and triggered landslides at several locations. The relentless rain also sent the maximum temperature plunging to 23.3 degrees Celsius, nine degrees below normal, the officials said.
They said a 27-year-old woman went missing in Jammu’s Raipur Domana area after allegedly being swept away by flash floods while trying to save her husband, who was attempting to move their parked car.
The man managed to save himself by clinging to an object, but his wife remained missing despite intensive search efforts by locals, police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, they said.
Officials said the body of another man, suspected to have drowned in a flooded stream, was recovered from the Domana area on Sunday evening. His identity and the exact cause of death are yet to be ascertained.
Heavy rainfall also left roads across Jammu waterlogged, disrupting traffic movement and inundating houses and shops in several localities.
Panjtirthi, Nagrota, Roop Nagar, Janipur, Dogra Chowk, Durga Nagar, Shakti Nagar and Raipur Domana were among the worst-affected areas, the officials said.
Residents reported damage to cars and two-wheelers due to the downpour and subsequent waterlogging. Videos shared on social media showed torrents of rainwater rushing through narrow lanes, flooding roads and spilling into residential premises and commercial establishments.
Landslides were reported on the Panjtirthi-Sidrah and Sidrah-Nagrota road stretches, disrupting vehicular movement and triggering traffic congestion, officials said.
Authorities deployed personnel and machinery and cleared the debris after several hours of efforts to restore traffic movement along the affected stretches, they said.
Commuters were advised to exercise caution while travelling through vulnerable stretches amid concerns over unstable slopes and slippery road conditions, the officials added.
The heavy rainfall once again highlighted the vulnerability of several neighbourhoods to waterlogging.
Residents of Durga Nagar, Shakti Nagar and Raipur Domana reported rainwater entering their houses and shops, raising concerns over damage to belongings, disruption to daily activities and the safety of people living in low-lying areas.
“The rainwater started flowing through the lanes with considerable force, and it became difficult to move around. Water entered residential areas, leaving people worried about their homes and belongings,” Vijay Kumar, a resident of Shakti Nagar, said.
Another resident, Sohan Singh of Domana, said waterlogging had made movement difficult and the situation deteriorated rapidly.
“Within a short time, the roads were filled with water. People were trying to protect their belongings while also ensuring that their families remained safe,” he said. (PTI)
Press Trust of India (PTI) is India’s premier news agency.
