Jammu, Sept 1- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday visited flood-affected areas of Jammu, where recent heavy rains and cloudbursts have triggered devastating landslides and flash floods across several districts.
Accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Shah toured Manguchak village, one of the worst-hit regions, and inspected the damaged Tawi bridge near Bikram Chowk, where flooding eroded parts of the riverbank.
Shah, who arrived in Jammu late Sunday night, began his day with an on-ground review of the situation and is scheduled to hold two crucial meetings at Raj Bhavan, one focused on relief and rehabilitation measures for affected families, and the other on the impact of flooding on the border security grid.
Officials said Shah will also conduct an aerial survey of the worst-affected areas to assess the extent of destruction.
Human and Infrastructure Loss
Since August 14, the region has faced a series of natural disasters, including cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods, that have claimed over 130 lives and left 33 missing across Kishtwar, Kathua, Reasi, and Ramban districts.
The tragedy has been particularly severe for pilgrims; at least 34 devotees lost their lives in a landslide while on their way to the Vaishno Devi temple.
Heavy rainfall on August 26–27 further worsened the situation, flooding low-lying plains in Jammu and damaging key infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and homes.
High-Level Visits to the Region
This marks Shah’s second visit to Jammu in three months. His earlier trip on May 29 came shortly after Indian forces struck terrorist bases across the border, following the Pahalgam attack of April 22, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had also visited Jammu on August 24 after a deadly cloudburst in Chashoti village, Kishtwar, which killed 65 people, injured more than 100, and left 32 missing. Singh’s planned visit to the Machail Mata temple route had to be cancelled due to landslides and bad weather.
Government Response:
With rescue and relief operations underway, officials said the government is prioritising the restoration of essential services, rehabilitation of displaced families, and strengthening of embankments to prevent further damage.
As Shah leads the review of relief measures, authorities remain on high alert, with weather agencies warning of continued risks in flood-prone areas.
