Nation

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Unrelenting monsoon rains have unleashed a deadly cascade of landslides and flash floods in India's Jammu region, particularly around the sacred pilgrimage path to Vaishno Devi. Heavy downpours triggered a massive landslide near the revered shrine, claiming the lives of at least thirty people and leaving many more injured or missing .

The landslide, which struck in the Reasi district, occurred along the Ardhkuwari to Indraprastha Bhojnalaya stretch—a route frequently traversed by pilgrims heading to the hilltop temple . Torrential rain that dumped up to 368 mm in a single day caused nearby rivers such as the Tawi, Chenab, and Basantar to overflow, leading to widespread inundation and infrastructural collapse . Communication networks were severely disrupted, leaving many areas cut off, while schools were shut and travel services paralyzed .

The disaster drew swift response from rescue and relief agencies. NDRF, SDRF, the Army, and local authorities were deployed across hard-hit zones to assist with evacuations and medical aid .Train services were also extensively disrupted: several routes were halted or cancelled, including dozens of trains terminating or skipped en route to Jammu and Katra, leaving many pilgrims stranded . Complicating matters further, highways and bridges collapsed under the deluge, hampering ground rescue operations .

Political leadership acknowledged the gravity of the situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extended prayers for the safe recovery of the injured, stating that the administration was doing everything possible to support those affected. The Jammu and Kashmir administration intensified efforts to coordinate disaster response, closely monitoring conditions across the region .

This calamity is not an isolated incident. Just days earlier, a devastating cloudburst in Kishtwar district had already claimed over sixty lives, injured hundreds, and left scores missing—casting a foreboding shadow over the region’s resilient terrain .

What unfolded in Jammu and Kashmir is a somber illustration of the Himalayan region’s vulnerability to extreme monsoon onslaughts, exposing weaknesses in infrastructure resilience and heightening concerns about climate-driven intensification of natural hazards. As rescue and relief teams press on, the priority remains saving lives and stabilizing the devastated pilgrimage routes before the rains, which meteorological agencies warn may persist, deliver another blow .